Stirling’s First Taxi Charging Point Amps up 14 New EV Bays at Forthside

Stirling’s taxis are amping up their service to customers thanks to the region’s first dedicated EV taxi charging point.

The taxi EV charging bay is among 14 new charging points that have just gone live in Forthside, complementing the nine existing bays already available, as part of Stirling’s Council’s drive to tackle the climate crisis head on.

Developing a modern transport system that minimises carbon emissions, improves affordability and provides choice for all is one of the key objectives of Stirling Council’s first draft Climate and Nature Emergency Plan.

The charging points at Forthside will provide EV charging for long distance journeys, local charging for businesses and residents, and charging for commuters, including a first exclusively for Taxis.

Funding for the new chargers was provided by the Scottish Government through Transport Scotland as part of their Electric A9 project, Scotland’s longest electric vehicle ready route.

The Electric A9 EV charging hubs are located within local communities along the route of the A9; between Falkirk Stadium in the south to Scrabster Harbour in the north.

The charging facilities at Forthside are one of three Electric A9 hubs already in Stirling, which include Castleview and Springfield Terrace, Dunblane.

The new Forthside chargers reaffirm Stirling Council’s eco-commitments, helping ensure it is a leader in sustainable transport and putting the region at the heart of Scotland’s green charging travel infrastructure.

Convenor of Stirling Council’s Environment and Housing Committee, Councillor Jim Thomson, said: “The Council is committed to leading the way in averting climate change through the development of our EV charging infrastructure.

“Providing more opportunities for residents and businesses to go electric is a key aspect of our Climate and Nature Emergency Plan, and the switch on of Stirling’s first dedicated charging point for taxis is another exciting step, benefiting both the taxi operators and their customers.

“Electric vehicles are the future and this latest project at Forthside, in being part of Transport Scotland’s Electric A9 project, ensures that Stirling is at the very heart of Scotland’s green charging travel infrastructure.”

Vice Convenor, Councillor Danny Gibson, said: “The climate emergency remains at the top of the Council’s agenda and this is one of a number of exciting projects which demonstrates to Stirling residents, commuters and visitors that we are committed to green energy.

“Working alongside Transport Scotland we will continue to deliver considerable investment over the next couple of years that will aid the transformation of the charging infrastructure across the Stirling district.

“By being a part of the Electric A9 project it demonstrates our commitment to helping deliver green energy for citizens, commuters and visitors that will benefit both today’s travellers and future generations.”

The EV chargers at the Forthside Hub are from SWARCO eVolt – one of the UK’s leading providers of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Managing Director of SWARCO eVolt Justin Meyer said, “We are proud to be part of the continued development of Forthside, which is not only supporting the local community and its visitors but also helping to build the Electric A9 and supporting sustainable transport in Scotland. 

“The new EV chargers will undoubtedly support local taxi drivers and operators and encourage more to make the switch to electric, decarbonising more journeys.”