Six new rapid charge points for electric vehicles are to be installed around the county following Wiltshire Council’s successful bid for government funding. But Marlborough has not been included in the scheme.
A £225,000 government grant will fund rapid charging points in Salisbury, Warminster, Melksham, Trowbridge, Corsham and Chippenham. They will be close to major routes for mid-journey top ups.
Wiltshire Councillor Nick Fogg told MNO: “We have had discussions about being part of this scheme and were given to believe that we would be. The necessary decking is already installed.”
And Dr Sam Page of Transition Marlborough is worried that Marlborough has been left out: “I am extremely surprised that Marlborough is to be excluded from this scheme, considering we asked the Area Board for charging points in the High Street 2 years ago.”
“WC’s own data shows that Nitrogen dioxide levels regularly exceed safety limits in our busy streets and emission-less electric vehicles are the obvious solution to this problem.”
Wiltshire Council has recently installed a twin, fast-charging unit in Bradford on Avon station car park and, in conjunction with First Great Western, will soon be installing twin charging points at Chippenham, Trowbridge and Westbury railway stations.
John Thomson, Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “We are committed to helping people travel in a more sustainable way and are always exploring new ways to reduce transport-related emissions across Wiltshire.”
In addition to the rapid charge points, the council has received further funding for charging points in its own office car parks and on the new campuses.
There are charge points installed at private locations around Wiltshire and the UK. But the closest to Marlborough appears to be the one at Membury’s Welcome Break services on the M4.
The Fraser’s Budgens filling station at the Salisbury Road roundabout has the wiring ready to install a charging point, but at present a return on the necessary investment would take a very long time indeed.
NOTE: Councillor Nick Fogg’s scheme to bring power outlets to the High Street for markets and Mop Fair is going ahead. The Area Board grant will be used for this and some extra funding will be needed.
Quotations have been received for this work and the ducting was laid when the High Street was re-surfaced last year. The provision of charging points for electric cars is a separate matter.
Details of low emission vehicles can be found at this government website.
