County gets on-street car charging points

Most of Dorset's existing charging points are located in car parks

Dorset motorists are set to benefit from the county's first on-street EV charging points.

Dorset and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's (BCP) councils are to employ a contractor to develop a network of 750 sites, mostly paid for with a £2.5m government grant.

There are currently no on-street EV charge points in the county - most are in car parks or on private land.

It is expected a contract will be agreed in the autumn with the first points available next year.

Councillor Ryan Hope told Dorset Council’s cabinet meeting he could foresee problems in parts of Weymouth as EV drivers competed with other cars for spaces.

Councillor Sherry Jespersen asked for rural areas to be included in the scheme, adding: "I am increasingly concerned that many of our villages and rural areas will be left behind because EV charging in those areas will not be considered to be economically viable."

The units will charge at lower speeds to allow them to connect to the existing network, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The project is due for completion in 2026.

At the end of the 15-year contract period, the charge points and all the infrastructure will revert to Dorset Council and BCP ownership.