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8K views 67 replies 15 participants last post by  John Riley 
#1 ·
Contrary to the impression given by Zap-Map, mid-Essex is currently woefully under-catered for in terms of charge points, particularly on a Sunday.
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The one in Braintree charges you a rip-off £5 a time, the one in Witham is out of action and has been for ages and of the five in Chelmsford, three are in Park and Ride car parks that are locked on Sunday, one is at Anglia Ruskin University with restricted access and the other is apparently at some engineering firm, also with restricted access.

Yesterday, I had to resort to charging at my cousin's in Chelmsford, arriving with 4% left. Luckily, he was in, otherwise it would have been flatbed time.

Also, allegedly, you're only allowed to use the Park and Ride chargers if you're getting on the bus, which is pretty short-sighted (and probably rather difficult to enforce).
 
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#2 ·
[QUOTE="Dez, post:
Also, allegedly, you're only allowed to use the Park and Ride chargers if you're getting on the bus, which is pretty short-sighted (and probably rather difficult to enforce).[/QUOTE]
It is difficult to enforce I charge my Leaf at Sandon Park and ride then cycle on my Brompton to work when I am on lates. I always use the 13A so if someone wants a quicker charge it's available. However 1 post is not enough.
Colchester has a CYC charger £5 although the Nissan dealer is free and very good. No charging in any car parks though. Essex is generally as bad as the rest of East Anglia.
 
#5 ·
It is difficult to enforce I charge my Leaf at Sandon Park and ride then cycle on my Brompton to work when I am on lates. I always use the 13A so if someone wants a quicker charge it's available. However 1 post is not enough.
Colchester has a CYC charger £5 although the Nissan dealer is free and very good. No charging in any car parks though. Essex is generally as bad as the rest of East Anglia.
Yes, I've used the Glyn Hopkin charger quite a bit. It's a real shame it's moved out of the unrestricted car park. I really hope they put it back (or better, install a second one - probably asking too much) when they finish building the new showroom. It was no help to me on Sunday though because it was both too far away and the wrong way for Southend.
Funnily enough, Southend is pretty well catered for on the 7kW front, which is surprising because Southend Council is notoriously short-sighted in almost every other respect. I see a reasonable number of LEAFs around Southend - I'm pretty sure we have more than our fair share - and I saw a Zoe yesterday evening.
 
#4 ·
Agreed, we tend to use the one at the Moto services in Thurrock and when we have ventured to North Essex, have had to drive across to the M11 to use the one at the Stansted services.
Tomorrow, I have to drive from Thundersley to Thurrock and then to Rivenhall, The journey to Thurrock will not be enough to justify a trip to the fast charger, but I will only just make it back home after picking my wife up from work in Benfleet unless I drive at stupidly low speeds.
There are some chargers in Southend but they are all 7kw max and the one at the Toomey Nissan dealer is also a slow one, although not as slow as the Toomey Basildon one. We had a Zoe for a while and it would draw 22kw from the Southend one and only 7 from Basildon. No difference for us Leaf owners.
You're welcome to charge at my home if stuck, I'm near Rayleigh Weir.
 
#6 ·
I used a Southend charger the other week which goes to show if you install them visitors will come. Most councils think you need to install chargers for the EV's in their area but they are wrong it's to encourage visitors to use pollution free transport. If every council does their bit then residents will buy EV's because they will be free to travel to work or for leasure.
But how many councillors or council staff have an EV or access to an EV.
 
#7 ·
Bum!
I would have made it today.

It was going so well but it highlighted that we desperately need that Rapid at Rivenhall.
I drove to work and then to my meeting in Rivenhall, then back home, dropped my daughter at gymnastics, picked my wife up, came home, then got a call from my middle daughter to pick her up from the stables, 11 miles on the range guesser and an 8 mile round trip up and down a few hills. Got home with --% on the battery indicator for the last 2 miles. Not bad, as it was 83.3 miles at this point of mostly 65mph and a bit of rain.

I left it to charge for about 90 minutes as I then had to pick my youngest up from gymnastics, a 16 mile round trip. There was 16 miles on the range guesser, but as it was raining, I decided not to risk it and took the ICE.

This was the first ICE drive I have had since getting the Leaf on the 1st September. It was bloody horrible!
 
#8 ·
Bum!

I left it to charge for about 90 minutes as I then had to pick my youngest up from gymnastics, a 16 mile round trip. There was 16 miles on the range guesser, but as it was raining, I decided not to risk it and took the ICE.

This was the first ICE drive I have had since getting the Leaf on the 1st September. It was bloody horrible!
Interesting... How do you find the range meter on the Leaf? The one on the Zoe generally I find to be very pessimistic. Either that or it is my superb EV driving! Lol (modestly)
 
#12 ·
Contrary to the impression given by Zap-Map, mid-Essex is currently woefully under-catered for in terms of charge points, particularly on a Sunday.
Oh... that's disappointing... I had hoped to take a run up to Clacton at some point along the A12.... I had heard a rumour that charging points are being installed at the new Asda being built up there.... Also, aren't Ecotricity putting points in along the A12? Not sure what rapids are available (if any)?
 
#29 ·
Yes but it is a slight detour if heading to Colchester as you need to take the Kelvedon turn off then at the bottom of the slip road turn right. This takes you under the A12 on to the London carriage way, then you can enter the petrol station from the A12. It is then on your left in the Starbucks car park.
When you finish your charge you get a chance to check out the acceleration of your EV for about 100 yards before taking the first short slip road then left at the T junction. Then after going under the A12 again take the first left which will bring you back on to the A12 Colchester bound carriage way.
I am guessing a 2 mile round trip but I shall check and it's more straightforward than perhaps my description. :cool:
 
#31 ·
Distance checked and it is 2 miles from the point you pass the petrol station on your right to getting to the point. I was late leaving work so used it as an opportunity to get a coffee and bagel whilst charging. Then homeward bound to Colchester and its approximately 1 mile till the petrol station is back on your right.
Being in the corner of the car park makes it a bit tight for 2 EV's especially as the two spaces are standard width. However I am pleased to see a Rapid charger on the A12. Now what we need is some destination chargers at the Hotels lining the A12.
 
#33 ·
Just wondered how reliable Rivenhall is proving to be..? It makes a pretty crucial Plan A for me to visit relatives in Westleton just after Christmas...
 
#38 ·
The one at Anglian Ruskin Chelmsford is through 2 barriered car parks and is next to the Sports Centre. I found it when cycling and thought it was very unfriendly to use as I am not sure if was publicly accessible. Personally I crossed it off of my sites that could be used. If you have business at the Uni it may be different.
Charge master live map shows the point is used regularly but generally one side so chances of a charge are good to fair. Chelmer valley 13A side in regular use but 7KW is not so good to fair their as well. Sandon both sides in regular use so fair to poor chance of a charge.
 
#39 ·
This evening Dez and I did some research in the public interest and went to find the Anglia Ruskin Uni point. We did eventually, but it isn't where Zap Map says it is. It's further north in the Mildmay car park. It claims to be available to Source East card holders, but we didn't put £3 into the slot to access the car park.

We also tried the Wickford station point, but that had been turned off.
 
#40 ·
Asda ones are generally 7kW ac only Polar ones so now involve a £1.20 per use admin fee even if they are free chargers. You need to spend about 1.5 hours in an Asda store just to get your moneys worth for the admin fee. My guess there will be tumbleweed (or ICE cars) filling the spaces!!!
 
#42 ·
We also tried the Wickford station point, but that had been turned off.
Chargemaster is reporting that charge point as being up and running. Personally, I don't trust Chargemaster's online availability, it looks far too good, and for a live availability map, it doesn't show when the status of each device was updated. I know for certain that they still show available when they have been reported as faulty.
 
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