DELAYS in installing electric vehicle charge points across Dorset are being caused by a lack of grid capacity.

Dorset Council portfolio holder Cllr Ray Bryan says the issue has cropped up in several areas of the county while trying to install electric charge points in the council’s car parks.

“This is mainly due to there being insufficient grid capacity and power infrastructure in some places around the county, especially regarding the rapid and super-rapid charging points.

“We will continue to raise this concern with ministers and energy suppliers, but if we truly want electric vehicles to become the norm for private road travel in the future, there will need to be significant investment in existing energy infrastructure,” said Cllr Bryan.

He told a committee meeting on Friday that despite the problems the council’s first phase of a programme to improve the number of charge points was almost completed.

He also revealed that the lack of charge points has led some businesses, who have the equipment installed, offering their facilities to members of the public and has heard of some residents offering to share their charge points with friends and neighbours.

Lyme Regis councillor Daryl Turner said a town councillor in the resort had been helping out in a similar way by offering his home charging unit to holidaymakers.