Plans put forward to help with the roll-out of charging points for electric cars across Warwickshire

Drivers of electric cars could be invited to join a residents’ panel and help with the roll-out of charging points across Warwickshire.

It is estimated that the county council will need to fit more than 1,700 extra plug-ins before 2025 to cope with increased demand after it was announced that the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned five years later.

And according to one of the people tasked with driving the scheme forward, a user group could help decide on the way forward.

Warwickshire County Council officer Margaret Smith told this week’s communities overview and scrutiny meeting that she would also welcome a task and finish group made up of councillors.

She said: “It feels like it is on a daily basis that we are getting a number of queries. We would welcome a task and finish group and possibly a panel of EV users to sound people out to try and understand what the public wants to see from the charging infrastructure going forward. There are certainly benefits from better liaison with the public.

“We are currently reviewing what the options are. We need to take stock for a period of three, four, five months where we monitor what’s there at the moment. Clearly we are fully aware of the demand that is out there so we do need to move on to further phases of roll out.”

Figures shared with the meeting showed that there were now 278 charging points across Warwickshire which was a 140 per cent increase over the past two years.

Usage varied from site to site with the eight charging points at West Rock, in Warwick, being used for 2,446 hours in the final three months of 2021 while the eight at Bedworth Leisure Centre were used for just 249 hours.

A report prepared for the meeting added: “The county council is investigating ways in which ev charging can be made easily and readily available for residents living in dwellings with no private off-street parking.

“A trial using the power supplied to street lights is due to commence and will operate in two residential locations in south Warwickshire - Leamington and Stratford. Subject to the success of the trial, it is likely further charge points will be deployed in the future, subject to available funding.”

Cllr Tim Sinclair (Con, Stratford North) commented: “We have had growth in two years but it is growth from an extremely small base to what is now a slightly less small base and there is a huge amount to do.”