AN ELECTRIC vehicle charging hub for private and hackney taxis could be developed under the Kingston Bridge as part of plans to reduce emissions.

Taxis are second only to buses as the worst polluters on the city's streets, a report to councillors stated, and it is hoped the hub would help ease the transition from diesel vehicles.

It would be funded using part of £2.5m awarded to Glasgow City Council by Transport Scotland. The authority is considering using the Newton Street car park, to the west of the city centre, for the hub.

The report stated 39 hackney electric taxis are currently licensed in Glasgow but the majority of these occurred in 2019 "with more being added every month".

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"At present, these taxis are using the public infrastructure, however, as the number of electric taxis and private vehicles increase there is potential for conflict over the use of the existing charge points.

"Although they are not the sole solution, electric vehicles are a key element when it comes to reducing transport-related CO2 emissions and improving air quality, and providing a useful and equitable charging network is essential in supporting the Low Emission Zone."

The hub would be operated using registration recognition technology to control access and would provide a combination of 50kW rapid and 22kW fast charging options.

Construction could begin in spring this year if the project is signed off and consultation will be carried out with local taxi drivers.

There are currently 164 council charge points installed and operating throughout the city, in both car parks and on-street locations. In the past 12 months, these units have facilitated over 56,000 charging sessions.

The council is working with Scottish Power Energy Networks to develop a network to "deal with the rising demand for public charges".

It will use around £1m of the Transport Scotland funding on an additional 70 publicly available charge points. Part of the funding will also be used to develop a charging hub on vacant land – yet to be identified – which will double up as a park-and-ride facility in a bid to reduce city centre congestion.

The report to councillors said the provision of charging facilities in residential areas "remains a significant barrier" to the uptake of electric vehicles. An emerging technology, which will see charge points installed on street light columns, will be trialled in Collins Street.

Councillor Chris Cunningham said it was important there was a "multitude of providers" and charging points in as many places as possible. "Inevitably, that is going to have to mean private sector providers come to the fore," he added.

"The bottom line is there are very, very few local authority or government petrol stations out there. Petrol is sold for profit by private organisations, they provide the infrastructure.

"My presumption is 10 years from now that's probably how electric vehicle provision is going to work as well."

He said private organisations would only provide charging points if they can make profit.

A council officer said they are "keeping an eye on the market". "At the moment, the private sector just aren't providing enough infrastructure for this to work hence we are filling the gap."

He said they were working with supermarkets on offering charging points and other solutions could include workplace charging.

In September 2017, the Scottish Government announced that all petrol and diesel vehicles would be phased out in Scotland by 2032. Councillor Maggie McTernan said: "I don't get the sense we know how we're going to achieve that in the next 12 years."

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The officer said the council had a "pretty robust plan for the next 18 months" but wasn't sure how technology and ownership habits would change over the next decade.

He added there was an "increasing responsibility" for vehicle owners themselves to make a shift.