Dunkeld EV chargers took three years to install – and still don’t work

It took three years for a pair of EV chargers to be installed in Perthshire – and they still aren’t operational.

Perth and Kinross council and Swarco began working on the set of EV chargers in 2020.

The two chargers, situated in Dunkeld’s North Car Park, were finally installed at the end of May 2023.

Yet two months later, they are still not working.

“It makes absolutely no sense,” says Marian Wallace, who runs an electric taxi service in the area.

“They haven’t been turned on. They are ornamental, and not particularly environmentally enhancing!”

Marian pointed to new EV chargers cropping up quickly elsewhere in Scotland. She asks: “How come it has taken over three years for two new [chargers] in Dunkeld?

“Should I ask the Guinness World Records if they can find out? Maybe there’s a prize.”

EV drivers in competition for chargers in Perthshire village

The “beyond ridiculous” situation has also been causing Marian undue stress, she says.

There is only one other publicly accessible EV charger in Dunkeld.

Marian claims the limited amount of working EV chargers  there is “detrimental” to her ‘Lady Driver’ taxi service.

“I’m in competition with lots of travellers heading north to Inverness topping up en route,” she said.

“This can affect my business and give me unnecessary stress.”

Marian has her own EV charger at her home, but it is a slow charger.

With an electric taxi service to run, using this charger takes a long time to get her back on the road.

The nearest EV charger is along the A9 at Taste of Perthshire, a further 7 miles away.

Cones remain around the Dunkeld electric charger parking bay, though encouraging signage has been installed beside the charging unit.

Despite this, they are not yet operational.

Marian said: “I’ve had many promises and assurances that there is work on its way.

“But it has been years and they are still not functioning.”

Council ‘sorry’ for unusual length of time taken for EV chargers setup

A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council apologised that the Dunkeld EV chargers have taken “far longer than normal to get operational”.

She said: “There have been a number of different challenges on this site over the time since work began in late 2020, including planning requirements and the need for remedial works.

“Following completion of the charger installation work at the end of May we are now awaiting a date for installation of the meter by the energy company and are continuing to push for that to happen as soon as possible.”

Swarco is a traffic technology group which works with charge point owners to decide on the most suitable locations, works with contractors and provides maintenance and support.

They said the initial install back in 2020 was delayed due to Covid restrictions.

A Swarco spokesperson said: “We completed the installation work in May, and we understand that the council is working hard on the final stages which are dependent on an energy meter being installed at the electricity substation.

“We do share the frustration of the driving community who want to be using these chargers today.

“Unfortunately, delivering new EV charging locations is full of complexities – not least the challenge of getting power to the chargers but there are also a number of interdependencies within any project which can prolong the whole process.

“In our experience though, all the parties involved are as committed to the roll out of EV charging as we are, and they are working hard to support EV drivers.”