Car parks could be opened up at night for refuelling in Barnsley as electric car revolution takes off

Council operated car parks could be opened up to residents at night after charging points for electric vehicles have been installed to help sidestep the problem drivers without off-street parking who want to switch to zero emission vehicles.

The proposal is part of a package which is expected to see a network of 45 charging points installed across the borough – a sharp rise on the existing three operated by the council at present.

It is acknowledged that electric cars will become more commonplace in future and the council itself is looking to replace some of its conventionally fuelled vehicles with electric alternatives.

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Charging points will go in around district shopping areas and leisure centres as well as central car parks, but the authority is steering away from including a charging point at every bay in new car parks – on the advice of the National Grid.

They want people to charge cars overnight and use car parks to top up their batteries while parked during the daytime, to put help balance demand for electricity between night and day.

Coun Charlie Wraith said taxi drivers, who are increasingly switching to hybrid vehicles, had been complaining of a lack of charging facilities in Barnsley.

Two of the council’s charging points are at the recently constructed Market Gate car park, with the third in Hoyland.