CORONAVIRUS - Some of York's electric car charge points out of action

Image: Library Picture

Owners of electric cars in York may find it harder to charge them up during the lockdown.

Many of the fast-charging points around the city are out of action, as they're in car parks and park and ride sites that are closed to the public during the current situation.

It's also been claimed that others have been switched off, but the council says that's not the case.

York businessman Max Flint tried to fast-charge his electric car after weeks of it sitting unused outside his home.

He told Minster FM:

"I wanted to use the car for the first time in a few weeks and  went to charge it.

I rang the council and asked them where else I could go and they didn't know.

They couldn't suggest a single site in the city.

In the end I had to drive to Barnsley to charge the car."

York has ambitious plans to help drivers make the move from petrol and diesel cars to electric, as well as introducing more electric buses and service vehicles.

City of York Council is aiming to use electric power in its own vehicle fleet and has plans for a range of new charging points around the city.

Although EVs can be charged at home, it generally takes much longer than using a fast charging station and requires direct access between the property and the vehicle.

Max Flint, who recently bought his first electric car and whose house does not have off-street parking, is not impressed with the current situation.

"They've put a huge amount of money putting these electric car charging points at Park and Ride sites to make them accessible but then yesterday I found the sites were all barriered off, so there's no way of getting in.

It's a complete lack of thought at the council,  thinking: 'We've invested money in charging points at these sites but we're going to make them inaccessible.'

How do they expect people with electric cars - and they want us all to have them - to charge them if they close off the car parks?"

The man in charge of transport at City of York Council has apologised for the fast-charging points being out of action.

Councillor Andy D'Agoyne says he sympathises with electric car owners and says York is still building its network of chargers.

He told Minster FM:

"It's something the council is aware of and we having funding for two new hyper hubs, that would increase capacity in a number of places but they are not in place yet.

But certainly a number of things are happening with Covid19 that means the existing ones are out of action for the time being."

A City of York Council spokesperson said this on Tuesday:

Some charges are inaccessible because the car parks are closed including Piccadilly and Foss Bank and Askham Bar, Grimston Bar, Poppleton Bar Park & Ride (although the rapid charger is accessible) and the car park at Designer Outlet.

There are over 90% of the available chargers functional (not including the ones that are closed.

We have information on our website and on the iTravel website directing people to the charging network https://www.itravelyork.info/driving/electric-vehicles/how-to-charge-your-car/

In addition to council charges, there are many chargers available at most supermarkets around York too.

SHARE THIS STORY:

Get our app, and stay up to date!