It’s no secret, the Conservative Leader of Walsall Council is no lover of any action to prepare us for the inevitable effects of climate change. As a result the Conservative administration who current run the Council has a very hit and miss reactionary approach to anything to do with what is the most important challenge to us all.

The car industry is a major provider of jobs locally both directly at such as Jaguar Land Rover based in Wolverhampton and it’s supply chain much of which is in Walsall and across the Black Country. The industry is rapidly having to shift away from diesel and petrol vehicles to electric, with this comes a whole set of other issues in getting us to switch to eco – friendly cars not least of the cost and where to charge them.

When it comes to plug-in electric vehicles, charging at home usually occurs off-street in garages and driveways, a convenient and efficient option. However, in many parts of the UK – especially in urban areas and certainly here in Walsall – off-street parking is unavailable to many residents.

By installing charge-points on-street, residents without off-street parking can enjoy the convenience and value of charging their plug-in electric vehicles at home. As more residents use electric vehicles, communities will benefit from improved air quality and will lower their carbon footprint.

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) announced the continuation of the On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS), to increase the availability of plug-in vehicle charging infrastructure for residents who do not have access to off-street parking. Click here to download a full list of successful ORCS applicants.

Whether we like it or not, on – street charging points will begin to appear, yes, even here in Walsall with its climate change denial Conservative Council Leader. We need to talk about this issue now in order to develop strategies which are able to respond to what will be an increasing need without adding more clutter to footpaths.