Scotland has introduced new measures to help more drivers get behind the wheel of an electric vehicle with a unique new scheme.
Transport Scotland has launched the Cross Pavement Charging Grant pilot programme, with up to £3,500 available for households across the country.
The grant will allow motorists without off-street parking to install pavement gulleys or pop-up bollards to charge their electric cars in a more suitable way.
The pilot will initially operate in East Lothian, Renfrewshire and Perth and Kinross, while other local authorities can register their interest in the scheme.
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The Scottish Government is providing grants worth £3,500 as part of the scheme
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The pilot will initially be backed by £250,000 in funding from the Scottish Government, while the Energy Saving Trust will help roll out the scheme.
Commenting on the launch of the scheme, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said she was "really pleased" to launch the scheme for motorists across the country.
The SNP MSP for Linlithgow added that the Government would continue to use innovation and investment to boost uptake of electric vehicles.
Ms Hyslop added: "I'm really pleased to launch this pilot scheme, another way in which we are supporting Scotland's transition to electric vehicles, reducing carbon emissions and aligning with the Scottish Government's priority to tackle the climate emergency.
Alison Wilkie said the installers of the gullies had done a 'tidy job'
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"The fund will improve access to people without off-street parking, such as driveways, promoting accessibility to electric vehicles to people more likely to have limited public charging options."
Alison Wilkie installed a cross-pavement charging channel outside her home in North Berwick in 2023 and said it had made a "huge difference" for her.
The driver explained that she was considering setting aside some of her garden for a charging area but didn't want to lose the green space.
She added that an alternative saw the family run a cable under a mat over the pavement, but described this as a "hassle" and said it "posed a risk to pedestrians".
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Alison Wilkie, from North Berwick, backed the use of Kerbo Charge | KERBO CHARGE Ms Wilkie added: "We can easily plug in our car whenever we want to, so long as no one else is parked there.
"We have a pin code on our charger, so it's secure and it's much safer than using mats. We don't really notice the channel as the installers made such a tidy job of it."
The feedback and results from the pilot scheme will inform the national Government and aid in the development of future policies.
Data from Zapmap shows that Scotland has the fourth largest number of public charge points of any UK region with 7,125, only falling behind Greater London, the South East and the West Midlands.
However, it has the second-most rapid and ultra-rapid chargers with 2,037, falling only behind the South East of England with 2,417.
Councillor John McMillan, East Lothian Council Cabinet Spokesperson for Environment, Economic Development and Tourism, said the region was a suitable place to trial the project given its "excellent track record" in supporting the transition to EVs.
He added: "For people who don't have a driveway or another convenient place to plug in near their house, cable gullies offer an accessible option for charging their vehicle from home.
"The council has been piloting this safer method of charging from home for nearly a year and we've received some great feedback from residents who have taken part."