Otley’s MP Alex Sobel has called for more charge points to be available for electric cars, as oneuseful step to reduce air and noise pollution locally.
Mr Sobel intervened in the House of Commons debate on the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill, which aims to improve the network of charging points for electric vehicles, because no guarantees had been made on electric vehicle charging in residential areas or town centres like Otley or Yeadon.
He said, “In order to stimulate the electric car market and ensure that we can move to a fully electric market, we will need a minimum density of electric charge points in residential and commercial areas.”
In his response to the debate, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport Jesse Norman did not reply to the points raised by Otley’s Labour MP, but Alex says he will be pursuing the issue at Committee stage.
Alex Sobel has also taken local action to combat the lack of charging points. Mr Sobel said “In my constituency of Leeds North West there is, as far as I am aware, only one charging point available for electric vehicles, which is slow and has limited access. Yet there are at least 21 charge points in the city centre.”
“I have written to Otley’s Business Improvement District (BID) and Leeds City Council about improving our infrastructure by installing electric vehicle (EV) charging points in council car parks. A good network of EV charge points is vital as we seek to improve the quality of air in our local area, especially on the A660, and in Otley and the Wharfe Valley where pollution lingers.
The future is electric and we must prepare for it.”