Electric car charging points to be installed at car parks in Stamford, Bourne and Market Deeping

Electric car charging points are being installed at car parks in South Kesteven.

Two charging points will be put in at each location, which include the North Street Car Park in Stamford, the Burghley Centre Car Park in Bourne and the Halfleet Car Park in Market Deeping.

On hearing the news at a meeting of Stamford Town Council on Tuesday, Coun Dave Dorson (Ind - St George’s) raised concerns over whether people would be able to charge their cars for free, so doing it at the expense of the towns’ taxpayers.

However, town and district councillor Coun Gloria Johnson (Con - Stamford St George’s), said she would check the details this week, and has said that individual users of the charging points will pay by card for the amount of energy they use.

Cabinet member for commercial and operations at South Kesteven District Council, Dr Peter Moseley (Con - Aveland) said: “There will be an app people will need to to use the charging points that is interchangeable with others across the country.

“That was something we looked at, so people can use more than just the ones in our towns.”

Coun Moseley added the charging points have been in the pipeline for a year due to infrastructure not being ready but he hoped to have the first ones installed in the coming weeks.

“It was a logical thing to do in our market towns and start the electric vehicle revolution there,” he explained.

“Grantham and Stamford are both on the A1 corridor from London so people can stop off there, charge their cars and continue to places such as Leeds and York.

“There weren’t any other charging points nearby other than one at Gonerby.”

South Kesteven District Council officers are finalising details of the scheme with energy company Western Power Distribution.

Rutland received its first electric car charging point - in the car park of The Noel, Whitwell - in February last year. There is also a charging point in Casterton College car park and the new McDonald's in off Lands' End Way in Oakham will also have one.

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