Charging the Earth

As lamp post charging points for electric vehicles are installed in our area (although only in West Hill Street and one or two other locations, it seems) the wisdom of subsidising these for use by privately owned electric vehicles must be questioned. It would surely be a far better use of public funds to provide more infrastructures for electric buses and taxis than to spend £300,000 on 200 lamp post charging points rated at a mere 3 or 3.6 kW which the RAC has declared are unsuitable for use as on-street charging points for residents. They are unsuitable mainly because of the time it takes to charge, which will typically be 6 to 12 hours. Other drawbacks such as trailing cables, vandalism and finding the lamp post charger already in use by your neighbour can be envisaged, whilst the other impracticalities of owning an electric vehicle for private use are considerable. Continue reading Jim Gowans’ West Hill Watch, Apr 20 →