Electric car charging point comes to Melksham

GREEN drivers in Melksham will find it easier to travel as an electric car charging point has been placed in the town centre.

The new charging point on King Street is one of six being strategically placed across the county after Wiltshire Council was awarded a £225,000 grant from the Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) to install the rapid charging units at key sites, including Melksham.

Other locations include Salisbury, Warminster, Trowbridge, Corsham and Chippenham with the points purposely positioned close to major routes for mid journey top-up and suitable rest points, with businesses such as coffee shops nearby to accommodate drivers during the 20-30 minute recharge.

There will be two parking spaces available at the Melksham charging unit which will initially be free to use.

Transport Minister Baroness Kramer visited Wiltshire to officially open the charging points.

She said, “More and more people are switching to plug-in vehicles, with more than 5,000 sold in the last three months. We need the right infrastructure to keep building that momentum. Providing charge points like these means people can be confident that they can charge their car when they are out and about.”

Horace Prickett, portfolio holder for transport at Wiltshire Council said, “These charging points mean electric car drivers know when they’re in Wiltshire a charging point is never too far away.

“We are committed to green initiatives and having these very rapid and efficient charging points makes driving an electric car a viable option.”

The council has also been successful in acquiring a further £180,000 funding from OLEV to have charging points in public sector areas including campuses and council premises for staff, visitor and public use. This is due to happen next year with Melksham Community Campus possibly being one of the locations.