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    01

    Apr 2021

    Last Updated: 01/04/2021
    Environment
    Environment

    Locations of 34 electric vehicle charge points revealed

    by John Plummer

    | 01 Apr, 2021
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    Sites in Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge have been identified - but none in Boroughbridge and Masham.

    electric-car-charging
    Charging an electric car. Photo: Karlis Dambrans/Flickr

    The locations of up to 34 new electric vehicle charge points in the Harrogate district have been revealed.

    The district has seen the largest increase in North Yorkshire of motorists switching to electric vehicles and Harrogate Borough Council aims to get 10,000 on the roads by 2023.

    To help hit this target, the authority plans to install charge points at several council-owned locations to encourage motorists to make the switch ahead of the government’s ban on the sale of petrol, diesel and hybrid cars in 2030.

    Tom O’Donovan, economy and transport officer at the council, told a meeting on Wednesday the 34 charge points were being rolled out as part of a phased scheme, with more to come later.

    The locations include up to four charge points at the council’s Claro Road office, as well as up to five at its civic centre headquarters at Knapping Mount.

    There will also be up to four at Harrogate’s multi-storey Victoria Shopping Centre car park and the same amount at Ripon Cathedral car park, plus a hub of charge points at Knaresborough Chapel Street car park.




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    There are three options for Pateley Bridge, including the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty office, Nidderdale Leisure Centre and south car park.

    The car park at Hornbeam Park railway station could also get up to 10 charge points, while no proposals have yet been put forward for Boroughbridge because infrastructure works would be “too costly”.

    Up to 160 charge sites planned


    Harrogate Borough Council approved its Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle Strategy two years ago with an aim to provide 61 public charge points by 2024, although this could be increased up to 160 if required.

    North Yorkshire County Council is also developing a county-wide strategy but has said it currently has no plans to roll out on-street charging infrastructure on a large scale or in response to individual requests for charge points.

    It said this is because of “difficulties” with electricity tariffs and setting out the terms on the maximum time a vehicle can charge in shared on-street spaces.

    The council said:

    “We will continue to review the overall situation, taking into account demand from residents and funding availability, including external grant funding.”