A MOTOR dealership owner, who was one of the first to support an initiative to install hundreds of electric vehicle charging points in the North- East, said it was an investment in the region’s future.

Simon Bailes, managing director of the Peugeot dealership bearing his name, with branches in Northallerton, Stockton and Guisborough, is a partner in the Plugged-in-Places initiative, which will see £7.8m invested in rolling out 1,300 charging points across the region.

The scheme is part of a drive to turn the North-East into an international hub for electric vehicle technology In February, Mr Bailes’ company was the first motor dealership in the region to sign up to have charging points fitted, alongside organisations including Tesco, Barratt Homes and all the North-East’s local authorities.

Recently, he hosted an ecovehicle event at Durham University Stockton campus attended by 100 business people, many of whom have since signed up to the scheme, contributing a total of £1m, alongside funding from the Government and regional development agency One North East.

Also attending the event was Jon Goodman, managing director of Peugeot UK, with delegates able to see the car firm’s range of low-carbon and electric vehicles, including the Peugeot iOn electric car, which goes on sale in October.

In the past year, the region has become the UK’s economic area for low-carbon vehicles and is one of only three UK Plugged-in-Places.

Mr Bailes said the attendance at the event showed the enthusiasm for electric vehicles in the region.

He said: “This is an investment in our future and our region. The motor car is an integral part of people’s lives and we have to adapt and change with technological developments that are happening.

“One of these is an acceptance that electric vehicles will form a part of what we are doing in CO2 reduction, it would be remiss of me not to embrace this.

“I am a proud partner of Pluggedin- Places and I am passionate about ensuring that the North-East is at the forefront of such an important scheme.”

Mr Goodman said: “Being able to showcase our collection of low-emissions vehicles here in the North-East, where our leading regional dealership is an active partner in the vital Plugged-in-Places pilot, is very exciting for the whole company.”