The scheme was launched yesterday (7 July) by Transport Minister Andrew Jones after Milton Keynes was awarded Go Ultra Low City status at the start of the year and became one of a number of cities and regions to be awarded a share of £40m funding.

As well as setting up the ‘green parking permit’, the £9m awarded to Milton Keynes will also help to create an ‘electric vehicle experience centre’ in the city and open up bus lanes to electric car drivers.

Mr Andrew Jones said: “It is great to see the first part of Milton Keynes’ Go Ultra Low City plan become a reality. Thanks to the £9m of funding we have provided, thousands of local residents will now be able to park their electric cars for free.

“We are investing £600m in cleaner, greener vehicles by 2020 to improve air quality, create jobs and achieve our goal of every car and van in the UK being zero emission by 2050.”