Bollington's first-ever electric car chargers are ready to use.

While the Macclesfield area has a 'notable lack' of electric charging facilities, the Happy Valley has picked up the slack for the lack of charging facilities in Macc town centre, as residents can now use charge their car at Pool Bank Car Park.

Multiple charging stations were unveiled at the Palmerston Street carpark, in a celebratory ceremony attended by former England rugby player Martin Offiah.

After his playing career, Offiah has become Brand Ambassador for the electric vehicle charging infrastructure company Connected Kerb.

"Connected Kerbs Electric Vehicle Evolution has arrived here in Bollington, where four brand new EV charging points have been installed at the Pool Bank carpark, in a bid to support residents unable to charge electric vehicles at home," he said.

The Pool Bank charging ports is part-funded by a central government grant from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), which covers 75% of the cost of the work. Bollington Town Council funded the remaining 25% of the project.

Bollington Central Ward Councillor Jon Weston said: "We realised we're in an old Mill Town and there are lots of terraced cottages which are difficult for people to find a place to charge their car overnight."

"So we identified a site which was being used for recycling waste moved it and turned it into a recharging bay for four electric vehicles.

"We're expecting when people see that there are charging points to charge their cars overnight, they're going to go out and have the confidence to buy an electric vehicle, and replace perhaps their second car initially. A lot of families here have two cars.

"Hopefully as time goes on and we roll out more of those charging points, confidence will grow, more and more people will make the switch."

The ports have been used over the festive period, proving the demand for the growing electric vehicle market.

Transition Bollington's Ruth Tams was excited by the benefits to public health the new ports will bring.

"We know the air quality in Bollington isn't brilliant," she said.

"It was wonderful in Bollington last year when less people were driving around less and we took a lot of readings.

"So it is very important we change to EV to reduce emissions from our cars."

To back up Ruth's point, last month, a Bollington Town Council statement said: "Taking one ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicle off the road and replacing it with an electric vehicle has the same effect as giving £150 to the NHS, such is the effect of vehicle emissions on people's health.

"This is because there will be a dramatic reduction in the particulates in the air that cause severe lung disease."

Bollington Mayor Jo Maitland, who has been Bolly's Mayor since May, was elated with the success of the collaboration.

"It is actually quite difficult for town and parish councils to really act on their climate emergencies they've declared," she said.

"And what we've got here is volunteers, councillors and enthusiasm behind green projects brought together - all working as a team.

"This has been a classic example of groups coming together with a shared goal, and delivering for our community."

You can learn more about Transition Bollington and become an active force in fighting the climate crisis by joining their group on Facebook.

The news comes as the government have cut electric car grants in the UK.

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See also: Macclesfield pub first to install electric car charger, more planned.

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