Speak EV - Electric Car Forums banner

North Yorkshire Charging - Help Required

Regional: 
151K views 812 replies 61 participants last post by  dparr59 
#1 ·
Hi all fellow North Yorkshire owners, or those who travel to our fair county.

We are all well aware of the severe lack of charging infrastructure in our vast county and other than York and possibly Harrogate, it appears there is little appetite for things to change either. I'm sure I recall some of you coming up against a brick wall when contacting Scarborough District Council about the matter.

I have recently contacted Harrogate District Council who now have a new bod in charge of transport and they appear quite receptive, so fingers crossed.

Many of the councils say they've not invested as there's no demand, though how they know that is questionable, so today I've emailed them all, including many of the main town councils too. Hopefully it may encourage them to look into the matter and you never know (y)

I'm telling you guys and guyettes in the hope that you too may contact the various councils and if enough of us do this, it may finally get through to them that there is indeed demand. It's literally as easy as googling the town council web address and obtaining their email address from there. Well, apart from Scarborough Council who must be the most difficult to get hold of ever.

If we as residents don't chase them, kick 'em up the a**e, or otherwise spoon feed them, nothing will change, so please get involved.

Your counties air quality depends on you! :D
 
See less See more
#2 ·
I posted this in another thread but think it's worth putting in here as well to show what we are up against and an email for Scarborough council to contact

Andrew.Bainbridge@northyorks.gov.uk. Highways Team
Catherine.Price@northyorks.gov.uk P&R team

Hi Richard,


I have responsibility for bus services in the county but recently dealt with a query over a request for EV points at the Council’s park and ride sites. It may be that person who has given you my details but as I explained to them unfortunately I don’t have any influence over the introduction of EV points in North Yorkshire.


My highways colleagues who were responsible for the design and build of both the Scarborough and Whitby P&R sites did consider the possibility of such a facility at the Whitby site but there was and continues to be insufficient demand to justify the County Council installing EV points at the P&R sites.

As the local highway authority we have also considered the provision of electric car charging on our highway network. There are various legislative and operational difficulties with providing electric car charging points on the highway, coupled with significant costs involved in the installation and running of such facilities. At present there is insufficient demand to justify the County Council installing such on Highway charging points.

I am aware that the County Council has previously applied, unsuccessfully, to the government for grant funding for electric car charging in North Yorkshire. Funding has tended to be awarded to more densely populated urban areas (such as Newcastle and Leeds) where demand is greater. I have copied my colleague in the Highways Team into this e-mail so that he is aware of your interest in EV facilities in North Yorkshire and I hope this clarifies the Council’s current position for you.


Regards

Catherine
 
#7 ·
I was probably the person mentioned in the letter as I had raised the possibility of EV charging at the park and ride sites in Whitby and Scarborough a few weeks back with North Yorkshire council after getting nowhere with Scarborough council or the bus company that runs the sites. I received an e-mail back from Andrew that was very similar to the letter attached here. Mine had a paragraph stating that they would be happy to have private funding and would happily allocate the required parking spaces if this was the case. I have also come across this elsewhere on my quest to get more charging points installed in the Yorkshire area. There doesn't seem to be money in the budget or any demand. Unfortunately as an area we are getting left behind - I have raised this issue with my local MP as well who has written to my local council but again we received a less than positive reply. Frustrating...:mad:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jules
#3 ·
What about trying everyone BUT Scarborough? Filey? Brid? Further north or south of Scarborough? Ryedale and Hambleton might be receptive too. Scarborough are a lost cause I fear.

The part of their letter that reads "...Whitby P&R sites did consider the possibility of such a facility at the Whitby site but there was and continues to be insufficient demand to justify the County Council installing EV points at the P&R sites." just sums it up.

How do they know this with such conviction? Where are they getting their figures from? How come virtually all other councils are finding the opposite? How come the rapid charger at Wetherby pretty much always has a queue? Have they seen the massive increase in sales of BEVs and PHEVs?

I think leave Scarborough out of it and try all the other district councils instead. The very fact that theirs was the most impossible website to contact says a lot about them. Alternatively, maybe we should all 'hit' Scarborough with requests to show that there IS demand out there?

Who's in?
 
#5 ·
I always find it strange that Scarborough Council was ever in charge of other competing resorts like Whitby or Brid. Surely there's a temptation to deliberately scupper your investment in the town up the road that could potentially take business away from your own hotel, amusements, fish n chip shop etc.
 
#8 ·
@MoonCat If you could private message me the e-mail addresses gleaned I will happily also send them an e-mail from my work e-mail address (I work for Nissan) so that might generate a bit more attention....?
 
#10 ·
Local MP is a conservative and drives a hybrid - Prius. I offered him a demo Leaf for a week but he quite wittily replied that if he was out visiting his constituents in the area where would he charge? ;) Will speak to him about Andrew Jones and see where that gets us.
 
#14 ·
Bridlington Council have come back to confirm that they have two charge points in their town in the Palace Car Park, a rather grand sounding place, though Street View indicates otherwise :unsure:

In typical council fashion you still have to pay the £1 an hour charge with a maximum stay of 4 hours. I guess they feel that's more than enough time to visit Bridlington before you'll be wanting to be on your way.

Surprisingly these points were last used a month ago according to the Pod Point map.

No wonder with that sort of placement and lack of use Whitby suggest there is no demand for charge points. Of course there isn't if you don't put them in a place where they're going to be of use!?!. o_O
 
#16 ·
I understand that the lack of use of the facility in Bridlington has been instrumental in drawing Scarborough Councils opinion on electric car charging.

In contrast, York have planned theirs quite well, and once they iron out some of their teething troubles such as buses only on the rapids at Poppleton Bar, it should be great. I understand that they are very pleased with demand/usage and looking to expand their network further.

Amazing the contrast between a flop and a success and how absolutely critical it is to get it right from the off.
 
#17 ·
I understand that the lack of use of the facility in Bridlington has been instrumental in drawing Scarborough Councils opinion on electric car charging.

In contrast, York have planned theirs quite well, and once they iron out some of their teething troubles such as with Poppleton Bar, it should be great. I understand that they are very pleased with demand/usage and looking to expand their network further.

Amazing the contrast between a flop and a success.
I couldn't use it as there is no way I'd make it, and after my trip to York there's no way I would rely on the availability of one charge point / provider (could be faulty or in use )
 
#19 ·
Selby District Council: Not today thank you very much - or something like that. They have no plans to install any charge points in the forseeable, but will be watching Harrogate & York's experience. Hmmmm.

"Selby Council - Moving forward with purpose" is their motto. I'm not so sure it applies.

Surprisingly Selby District Council is relatively large for a small town and includes Tadcaster within it's boundaries.
 
#20 ·
Had a negative response from North Yorkshire County Council - again. They just absolutely don't want to discuss the matter. They've made their decision and that's it, end of.

I've tried one last time copying the MP in to see if he can pull a few strings.

NYCC's downright and total rejection of the matter just makes them look backward. They're the only county in the UK that hasn't got a strategy and just won't discuss it. I'll have to find out who the person in charge of this decision is. I wonder if he runs a petrol station or oil suppliers perhaps, or has some other conflict of interest to ensure EVs just do not get off the ground in this area.

Anyone know how to investigate such things?
 
#21 ·
Had a negative response from North Yorkshire County Council - again. They just absolutely don't want to discuss the matter. They've made their decision and that's it, end of..

Anyone know how to investigate such things?
You probably need to find non - compliance with their own policies. Have you seen This from P45 of their transport plan ( they always have to consult on this and you get another chance in 2016). Also bits and pieces on air quality and climate change so you identify failure to deliver on these.
• Encouraging low carbon vehicles – The County Council is currently looking at how it might encourage people to use low carbon vehicles (electric / hybrid cars etc.) This work is in its early stages but is likely to include measures such as the provision of charging points for electric vehicles or special parking places.
[PDF]North Yorkshire Local Transport Plan - North Yorkshire County Council
www.northyorks.gov.uk/recruitment/head_of.../local_transport_plan.pdf
 
#23 ·
Keep them to their statement on title page
"A responsive County Council providing excellent and efficient local services "

Also their performance indicators on P120
Environment and climate change
• What are we doing to improve or reduce our impact on the environment?
• How much have we reduced transport related carbon emissions in the county? • How much have we improved air qualityin key locations?• What are we doing to adapt to climatechange?

  • Air quality management area pollutant levels
  • Road transport emissions of CO2 per km travelled
 
#26 ·
Looks like you are getting somewhere so keep up the good work and the more pressure/ support you can get from local EVers the better. ( yorkshiremen tend to listen more to fellow Yorkies and resent outside interference)
Let them know that in the "EV Olympics" they are way behind the rest of the country ie reference the legendary "Great/N Yorkshire Gap."
North Yorkshire,charging desert ?
 
#27 ·
Tried to register with Leaftalk to offer comments and where I've managed to get etc, but it's like the site is dead or at least no longer accepting new folk. Their loss :whistle:

Since heard back from Craven District (Skipton and the Dales), which was very positive. Without giving too much away at this stage, it appears that some of the more proactive councils are indeed working together to get something resolved, and hopefully before the year end.

Let's just hope they do it right and we get something coherent rather than the shambles over Scarborough way. Fingers crossed (y) or you can lead a horse to water... :unsure:
 
#29 ·
Hi everyone... sorry not to have replied previously but there are some possible positives happening n NYCC re EV, I'm trying to push from the inside at the mo. What we could do with though is someone to take our issues to... it is so difficult to get to talk to anyone who can actually make a decision. I agree Scarborough are useless.

On an aside... I'm in a 4 day test drive of the Leaf at the moment and I'm completely in love but I need a charge point in Whitby. Does anyone know of any business or person who would let me charge there on a Mon-wed during office hours for part of the day if I need to?? I'm completely willing to pay for this. I'm talking just charging on a 3 pin plug. I'm based at the hospital and they're trying to find out about if I can charge there.... it's seeming unlikely... health and safety nightmare it seems..... trip hazard ... fire hazard ... kids potentially playing with it ... were all mentioned! I'm very much hoping that Whitby park and ride will be getting a charge point.. then I will use that but just wondered if anyone knows anywhere/ anyone in whitby. I will keep you posted when I know anything definite from NYCC.

:)
 
#32 ·
On an aside... I'm in a 4 day test drive of the Leaf at the moment and I'm completely in love but I need a charge point in Whitby. Does anyone know of any business or person who would let me charge there on a Mon-wed during office hours for part of the day if I need to?? I'm completely willing to pay for this. I'm talking just charging on a 3 pin plug. I'm based at the hospital and they're trying to find out about if I can charge there.... it's seeming unlikely... health and safety nightmare it seems..... trip hazard ... fire hazard ... kids potentially playing with it ... were all mentioned! I'm very much hoping that Whitby park and ride will be getting a charge point.. then I will use that but just wondered if anyone knows anywhere/ anyone in whitby. I will keep you posted when I know anything definite from NYCC.:)
What sort of distance are you hoping to cover in the Leaf heading to Whitby? Are you unlikely to make the return journey each day? If you turn off the a/c (or manually turn it to the lowest fan speed) you gain more range if you're pushed. And a gentle right foot helps too. Ignore the range meter as it scares the hell out of you going up a hill and adds about 5-10 miles going down again, depending on the hill of course.
 
#30 ·
I've had positive correspondence with Ryedale district council too but not for many weeks now. The response I've had from NYCC has been positive. I hope that the tide is turning but lets keep the pressure on! I'll be contacting people again next week...
 
#31 ·
What've you had from NYCC that's positive? I had an email the other day absolutely adamant that they were not considering EV charging but that they'd escalated my enquiry. My MP has also recently (June) contacted them and got the same reaction. I got the impression he was frustrated with the resistance to this issue from NYCC over the last 4 years since I initially brought the matter to his attention.

If NYCC are changing that's good, but I'd be wary.

I emailed Ryedale and their bod in charge is on their hols til next week, so I'm hopeful of something positive. As all the various NY councils are pretty much in the same postion I'm trying to get them to work together at this early stage. Surely ordering 100 charge points at one time would result in a better price than 5 lots of 20?

Fingers crossed we're all getting somewhere with this. If it doesn't happen this time, it never will.
 
#34 · (Edited)
Thanks for the tips. Its a 60 mile round trip but I'm a visiting officer and my area is Whitby, which goes as far North as Staithes and East to Castleton - it depends where my referrals are. I went to work today and back and from a full charge 96miles I got home with 27... mind you I had 33 miles showing from Fylingdales to Pickering! I wasn't exactly driving carefully either I keep forgetting and putting my foot down, but I love it! I plugged in 3 pin for and 1 1/2hr and had 43 again! :)
 
#37 · (Edited)
Ok this article is quite informed and gives a lot of references for starters All choked up: did Britain's dirty air make me dangerously ill? | Environment | The Guardian
The BMA have a report ( BMA - Transport | British Medical Association and the leader of the local CCG commissioning the new Whitby Hospital is a doctor who will probably accept it as authoritative guidance.
It should be an easy sell as the other organisation named on the technical panel have this in their sustainable development policy ( p16)
http://www.property.nhs.uk/?wpdmact=process&did=OTEzLmhvdGxpbms=
  • Ensure all new NHS Property Services premises have good access to cycle routes, public transport and electric vehicle recharging networks

  • Take opportunities to introduce electric vehicle pool cars and commercial vehicles
 
#38 ·
Had a response from my MP today. He too has had a less than enthusiastic response from NYCC when he's contacted them about this issue in the past and recently. He's now escalated the matter to the chief exec.

Hopefully we're getting there.

I just don't understand why NYCC have been so absolutely resistant to this. Vested interests somewhere? Does the person in charge of this have family who own petrol stations or something? Very odd that NYCC are just so venomously resistant.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top