Milton Keynes is quickly becoming a hotbed of technology, as it sits at the centre of the Oxford-Cambridge arc. Our new forward-thinking design, coupled with the unique grid road system, makes this the perfect place for technological development.
During World War Two, codebreakers used the innovative enigma machine at Bletchley Park which played a key role in ending the war. Fast forward to the 21st Century, and ground-breaking businesses are still using Milton Keynes as their hub; Red Bull, Network Rail, The Open University, and even quirky Starship delivery robots have chosen to build a base here.
Just like our local businesses, Milton Keynes Council is also utilising the latest technology to ensure we stay at the forefront of advancement. Many of our recent achievements detail how we will use technology to help us tackle climate change, including by introducing electric buses. We have secured £32m to roll out a fleet of nearly 60 fully electric buses, alongside an upgraded overnight charging depot facility. This bid was achieved in partnership with Arriva and will help us to reach our 2030 carbon neutral target. We can expect some of the buses to arrive in 2022.
These electric buses will blend in with the array of electric vehicles that already frequent our roads. EVs are incredibly popular here as Milton Keynes has more charging points than anywhere outside of London.
We are also introducing electric car charging community hubs for those who want to make the switch to electric vehicles but do not have available off-street charging. This is especially important as around 40% of homes in Milton Keynes do not have access to off-street charging facilities.
One of the electric car charging community hubs has opened at Saxon Gate in Central Milton Keynes and provides 7kW charge posts for up to six vehicles in designated parking bays. There are also three new 50kW rapid chargers, so EV owners can charge their vehicles at rapid speeds.
The new Saxon Gate hub hosts an EV car club, operated by Enterprise Car Club, where residents can rent EVs. This is incredibly exciting as people can rent Nissan Leafs by the hour or day, and there is 24/7 access, 365 days of the year. Those who sign up to Enterprise Car Club will see the live state of charge and mileage range, meaning that it will be far easier to plan journeys in advance.
This is the first of the two car charging community hubs proposed for Milton Keynes, with the other expected to open in Stony Stratford at a later date.
Milton Keynes Council continues to embrace new technology for the benefit of our community, and it is exciting to see what developments lie ahead.
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Leader
Milton Keynes Council
