ENVIRONMENTALLY conscious drivers in Bradford are frustrated at the lack of car charging points in the district, a new survey has revealed.

One in ten drivers in Bradford are intending to buy an electric or plug-in hybrid car in the next two years, but the lack of charging points in the district is the biggest barrier for people looking to go green.

Two thirds of drivers said the lack of charging points was the number one barrier stopping them from buying an electric car.

This is followed by price at 60 per cent, and the fear that their car would run out of charge before reaching their destination, at 55 per cent.

In the Bradford area there are just 44 EV charging points, serving a population of 500,000 people. In the city centre, there are just four charging points, with seven devices in total.

We do have the fastest charging point in the country, in Brighouse, however.

Only EV cars are allowed to park in charging bays, and people who park normal cars in them will receive a ticket. Motorists appear to be obeying the rules, with only four tickets issued at the EV point in the Bradford Crown Court car park since it opened 12 months ago.

The Government offers a grant of up to £4,500 off the price of an electric car, but almost 30 per cent of people said they don’t think the are attractive enough to make the investment worthwhile.

Andrew Hooks, chief operating officer at Carwow, said: “If the Government is serious about enabling drivers to ‘go green’ then they need to take positive action.

“Urgent action is required from our government, to invest in the infrastructure needed to allow Britain to embrace the electric revolution.

“We’ve seen the demand for electric and plug-in hybrid increase significantly across the UK’s major cities, as consumers are becoming more aware of green alternatives in everyday life.

“However, if we fail to plan for the infrastructure required, drivers will be further discouraged from adopting more eco-friendly models, when in reality the time is right to capitalise on public appetite.

“A joined up approach from the motoring industry and local and central government is crucial in making it easy to own and run an electric car.”

In Yorkshire, the number of EV (electric vehicle) charging points available to use has risen by almost a third from last year, with 913 now available compared with 354 in 2017.

However, Yorkshire still trails behind seven other regions in the UK for the number of EV charging points available.