THE OVERALL UK market in motor cars declined by 5.8% in August, according to The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Registrations during the first eight months of the year are down 39.7% compared with the same period in 2019.

The good news is that electric cars (EV) and plug-in hybrid registrations doubled in August.

Southampton City Council website outlines the benefits and incentives of going electric, which includes toll free travel across the Itchen Bridge.

Also there is the zap-map website which gives live information on charging points around the country.

The dismal account for Southampton shows residential roads without any charging points.

Scoot over to Portsmouth and the website highlights that there is a more even spread of charging points; albeit Southampton has a few that are presently cost-free to use.

Southampton residents living in flats where there are no means to recharge an EV are being thwarted and cannot buy into the clean revolution due to the lack of on-street charging.

Southampton needs to rapidly extend the network of charging stations into residential areas so we can all benefit from the emission-free EV boon.

Joe Cox

Southampton & District Green Party.