THE Yorkshire Dales National Park which has been branded a no-go zone by some electric car drivers is set to install charge points at tourist hotspots to cope with expected future demand.

The Authority’s move follows a surge in demand for electric vehicles in the UK over the last four years, with new registrations of plug-in cars increasing from 3,500 in 2013 to more than 162,000 last month.

While industry experts have forecast there will be one million electric cars on UK roads within four years and that there are now 17,000 charge points in the country, the authority’s finance and resources committee heard there was only one public ‘fast’ charger in the national park, at Bolton Abbey.

An officers’ report to the committee stated: “We have already had some correspondence from electric car users who say they cannot visit because of the lack of charge points.”

The authority’s chairman, Carl Lis, said: “The ideal place for charging points is car parks. It’s something you can’t do at a petrol station. Even with a super booster charger it takes 30 minutes.”

The report stated a charging network would enable the authority to meet demand, provide a facility for visitors and residents and encourage more people to explore the park and venture into areas further from towns.

To test the viability of the charging points, members agreed to initially spend £16,000 installing three in car parks at Hawes, Aysgarth Falls and Grassington.

However, after the meeting was told the charging point payment system would require an internet connection, concerns were raised about online blackspots in the Dales leaving people unable to pay.

Officers said it would be at least a year before a non-online payment method was introduced.

The move echoes Craven District Council’s decision recently to look at installing 12 charging points around the district.

The decision was hailed an excellent idea by local businessman Malcolm Weaving, owner of Rendevous Hotel, Skipton, which last year installed two electric charging points; one for hotel users and one for the public.

“Electric vehicles are becoming more popular so it makes sense providing users with the means to charge their vehicles so they area able to visit our district knowing they will be able to get home. Tourism is important for the district,” Mr Weaving said.