PLANS to install 1300 charging points around the north east to encourage the take-up of electric cars have been announced.
The £7.8 million project will see charging points installed on streets, in car parks, homes, businesses and shopping centres.
Precise locations in north Northumberland have not yet been finalised but Berwick Garden Centre and Berwick Community Renewable Energy (CoRE) are among the partners who have pledged support for the scheme.
Nick Crabbie, owner of Berwick Garden Centre, said: “I thought it would be a good idea to have a charging point because of our location next to the A1 and being halfway between Edinburgh and Newcastle.
“People with electric vehicles are finding it difficult to make a long journey at the moment because their range is limited to some 60 or 80 miles.
“Certainly, if you had one of these vehicles and wanted a day out in Newcastle you might worry about getting home again so we need as many charging points as possible, although I’m sure the range will improve.”
He hopes it may even lead to some spin-off business for the garden centre.
“Obviously, we want people to come here and have lunch and a browse around so there is that motivation for taking part as well,” admitted Mr Crabbie.
Berwick CoRE is proposing two power points at the railway station, although permission is still required from Northumberland County Council, which manages the car park.
Ross Weddle, Berwick CoRE manager, said: “We are aware of concerns some people will have about taking up space in a car park which is already frequently congested but we hope they can be overcome.”
He is confident the scheme can work well in north Northumberland despite the restricted capacity of electric cars on a single charge and the large distances some people cover for work and leisure.
“There will need to be sufficient power points but if there are four or five power points in Berwick for people to charge up then I think that would be fine,” he said.
“If you wanted one you could get a charging point at home too.
“The cars have a 60 mile radius so that is ample to get from Berwick to Coldstream and back with no problem at all.
“The cars will get better and we have to start down this road some time.
“It is a logical way of moving forward in the effort to stop pollution on the roads.”
The announcement came as the Government named the north east as one its first three ‘Plugged-In Places’ along with London and Milton Keynes.
The regional bid, co-ordinated by One NorthEast, has been financially supported by more than 40 regional partners from the public and private sector.
These include Northumberland County Council, the National Trust, Northumberland National Park Authority and Northumbria Police.
Partners have pledged more than £1 million for charging points to be installed at their premises, while the Office for Low Emission Vehicles has confirmed just under £3 million for the project.
The One NorthEast board will be asked later this month to confirm funding of £3.8 million towards the project, which will help meet its commitment to install 619 charging points this year.
Alan Clarke, chief executive of One NorthEast, said: “We are delighted the Government has chosen to support our bid and that we will help lead the national infrastructure programme.”
He added: “The roll-out of 1300 electric vehicle charging points across our region now begins in earnest.
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Source: berwick-advertiser.co.uk
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