61 new electric car charging points to be installed in Portsmouth
A TOTAL of 61 new electric car charging points will be set up across the city in a bid to improve air quality.
Portsmouth City Council approved the points, which will be installed in residential streets, to add to the 36 that were implemented last year.
A £200,000 grant from government to pay for the points was already announced earlier this year but the specific locations came as the result of feedback from residents.
Although 80 charge points were available with the funds, only 61 were agreed during a traffic and transport meeting last week due to objections over specific sites.
Roads including Gladys Avenue in Stamshaw and Laburnum Grove in North End were among those that were dropped from the plans.
Speaking at a virtual traffic and transport meeting Labour spokesman Councillor Graham Heaney believed it was important the charging points were not giving prioritised parking spaces to those with electric cars.
He said: ‘I am getting the sense among people who object to this that they think people who have electric vehicles are somehow being “privileged” in being able to access parking and that’s a problem not just in residents parking zones but in areas where there are pressures on parking no matter what.
‘I understand if you've got an electric car you've got to use that space but I also understand it won't be charging the whole time. The other issue is the parking bays are not supposed to be personal to the property.’
Acting transport planning manager at the council, Hayley Chivers, said: ‘Some people do think they are personalised parking spaces which they are not.
‘We have had very good experiences with previous bays of residents sharing them so we can take from that.'
Transport boss, Cllr Lynne Stagg, added: ‘A lot of people are saying they're going to lose a parking space because of this. Well they're not.’
It was confirmed the council would work with the Office for Low Vehicle Emissions to ensure it will still have access to the full grant despite the reduction in the number of charging points.
The scheme is a trial and as part of the grant conditions the charging points must remain in place for three years.