Issue 199 - North Down BT18 •BT19 • BT20 • BT21
Muir welcomes new EV Charging Stations in Bangor North Down Alliance MLA Andrew Muir has welcomed the delivery of new Electric Vehicle charging stations in Bangor. The new charging facilities have been installed at the Aurora Aquatics & Leisure Complex and the Bangor Sportsplex.
Helen Coulter (left) and Joanne Trainor (right) from Down Community Transport welcome Clare Watson from Watson’s Centra Portaferry (second left) and Stephen Smyth from Smyth’s Centra in Newcastle, who presented the group with a donation of £1,000 as part of SuperValu and Centra’s £40K Big Community Giveaway.
Down Community Transport receives £1k from SuperValu & Centra
SuperValu and Centra, part of Musgrave Northern Ireland, have awarded their first set of £1K donations through their £40K Big Community Giveaway fund to community groups across the region. Down Community Transport was one of the recent organisations to be awarded a donation. They operate as an independent Rural Community Transport Partnership (RCTP) providing safe, affordable, flexible and accessible transport service; which is responsive to the needs of members. They are a lifeline for people living in isolated rural areas and/or without a car or family to provide for them.
Francis Casement, Chairman of Down Community Transport, said: “We are thankful to Centra & SuperValu NI for this generous donation through the Big Community Giveaway. It will be a lifeline for us to continue to provide our Dial-a-Lift service for those who live in rural areas and who need to travel to local medical and hospital appointments, as well as shopping and social groups. Thank you to those
who nominated us as well.” Desi Derby, Director of Marketing at SuperValu and Centra said: “We’re committed to supporting local now more than ever before. Our community organisations are working hard to make a positive impact, but they need our support. “We’re delighted that Down Community Transport has received one of our 40 Big Community Giveaway donations which will help
them make a real difference in their area. It’s just one way that we can help to support and give back in the communities where our stores are located.” The initiative is sponsored by Ballygowan, Boyne Valley Group, Hartleys, Lucozade and Walkers and kindly supported by Musgrave’s retail partners. Full terms and conditions can be found on the SuperValu and Centra websites.
The charging points were installed as part of the FASTER Project, which has delivered 75 EV rapid charging stations across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland. “I am delighted that these EV charging points have been installed and will be available for residents in Bangor,” said Mr Muir. “It was a tight deadline to deliver this project before the end of the year when the EU funding was due to run out, and I commend the contractor for their swift work. If we are to get Northern Ireland’s electric vehicle charging network on track, we are going to have to be ambitious when it comes to installation
timescales and this project shows what can be achieved. “The transition to EV is essential for meeting net-zero targets and there is work to do to ensure our infrastructure keeps pace. Whilst it is disappointing that the UK Government delayed its commitment to ban new fossil fuel vehicles from 2030 to 2035, Northern Ireland should not be found wanting. “Any incoming Infrastructure Minister must make the roll-out of rapid charging stations a priority and offer more support to help drivers make the change. This is yet another area where we need a restored Executive to show leadership.”