Free charge for electric cars at council car park

Drivers can recharge their electric cars for free during the winter months.

Central Beds Council has installed an electric car parking charging pointing at its headquarters in Chicksands.

Two electric vehicles can be charged at any one time using the charging posts. And until March 2013 members of the public can charge their cars for free thanks to national funding.

Councillor Maurice Jones, executive member of corporate resources and Richard Carr, chief executive of the council, launched the charging point on Monday, November 12.

Mr Jones said: “This charging point is an exciting milestone in promoting the uptake of low emission vehicles as part of our plan to improve sustainable transport in Central Bedfordshire.

“We want our staff to travel sustainably as well as our residents and businesses and we hope this can be the first of many electric vehicle points in our office carparks.”

A government scheme called the Plugged in Places Programme paid for three quarters of the cost. The public will always be able to use the charge points, although there will be a price to pay after the introductory period runs out.

The aim of the scheme is to kick-start the installation of charging points in the UK and to ensure that charging points are available within 25 miles of all local businesses and homes in the East of England.

The council has already worked with Source East, managed by EValu8 Transport Innovations, to install the point and introduce electric vehicles as part of its commitment to enhance sustainable transport.

There are currently points in Central Bedfordshire for residents to access, including the Grove Theatre car park in Dunstable, West Street multistorey car park in Leighton Buzzard and Marston Vale Forest Centre.

Another charge point could soon be installed at Central Beds Council’s Dunstable office.

You can find out more about EValu8 Transport and installing electricity charge points at evalu8-ti.org.uk