Dozens of electric vehicle charging points installed last year under a council contract have never been connected and will have to be replaced, it has emerged.
North Yorkshire Council will remove up to 32 EV charging points in four car parks in Bedale, Northallerton, Stokesley and Thirsk.
The authority said they were installed as part of a deal struck by the former Hambleton District Council prior to it being merged into North Yorkshire Council.
However, North Yorkshire Council said the Bedale-based contractor, EVS Energy Ltd, had become insolvent, and the authority has no access to user manuals or the back-office system.
As a result, the chargers remain unconnected, no maintenance can be carried out and they will have to be replaced.
EVS Energy Ltd is listed on Companies House with the status "active proposal to strike off". The company did not respond to requests to comment by the D&S Times.
The 32 unconnected chargers in North Yorkshire Council car parks have had plastic bags clipped to them, but in some cases no signage has been put up to show they are out of use.
The council confirmed that "the chargers had to be switched off until a new operator could be procured, and they could be maintained and repaired or replaced".
"This was for the safety of the public and to prevent any possible risk posed by the chargers," the council added.
"EVS Energy was also the manufacturer of the product, and they did not share any specifications, user manuals or provide access to a back-office system and as a result, no routine maintenance or repairs can be made to the EVCPs."
The council said that "the only option is to replace them."
Cllr Keane Duncan, Executive member for highways and transport, said that the replacement of the 32 EV charging points would be part of a larger North Yorkshire-wide project that would significantly increase access to chargers.
He said: "The replacement of these chargers is being funded by the Mayoral Combined Authority in addition to North Yorkshire’s ambitious Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) programme.
“We plan to go out to tender in the coming months and award a contract in 2025, following us securing around £8m in government funding.
“The replacement chargers will be delivered with the highest priority. We are aiming to deliver more than 1,500 EVCPs across North Yorkshire that will help meet ever-growing demand as more people switch to electric vehicles."
Councillors have revealed ongoing issues with drivers becoming frustrated that the spaces housing the power points are taking up room that could be used for other cars.
Cllr Heather Moorhouse, who said there are also problems in Great Ayton, said: "I have raised this issue with the Richmond (Yorks) Area committee because they take up car park spaces, and drivers are confused about whether they can park in them. I know people don't want to see spaces go to waste.
"I feel if the EV chargers are getting solved, we need to be treated as the priority over other places that already have plenty of chargers."
Recommended reading:
- Convicted drug dealer involved in death of Luke Jobson is back behind bars
- Plans for Darlington Memorial Hospital solar panels thrown out by council
- Burglary probe after County Durham phone and vape shop damaged overnight
Get more content including the stories that matter to your community from The Northern Echo for just £2 for 2 months for a limited time only here.
Northallerton Town Council has also called for the EV chargers in the town's Applegarth car park to be rectified as soon as possible to benefit both residents and visitors.
A spokesperson said: "Northallerton Town Council urges that the EV chargers in the Applegarth Car Park be brought into service at the earliest opportunity, to ensure that EV drivers can be confident of being able to charge their cars when visiting the Town.
"Increasing the provision of EV charging points should be an important part of the effort to maintain the vibrancy of our High Street."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel