A DECISION to relocate Fivemiletown’s electric car charging point has been reversed – for now.
ESB, the company that operates the charging points located in towns and villages across Northern Ireland, has confirmed that it has withdrawn plans to move the one currently in Fivemiletown.
The Irish energy firm made the U-turn after it was contacted by local electric car user, Caroline Johnston, as well as Fermanagh politicians including MLA Arlene Foster, former MP Tom Elliott and Fermanagh and Omagh District councillor, Thomas O’Reilly.
But ESB has warned that the Fivemiletown charging point could still be relocated in the future if it is not used on a regular basis.
A spokesperson said: “As a commercial entity, we reserve the right to undertake a further review of ecarNI charge point usage over the coming months.
“If the charge point in Fivemiletown remains at very low usage, we will have to consider the relocation to a busier location in order to serve a greater proportion of Electric Vehicle (EV) drivers.”
Mrs. Johnston, from Aghadrumsee, said she wanted to encourage all local e-car owners to try and make use of the Fivemiletown charging point.
“I would be afraid that if it is taken away then it will never be reinstated,” she added.
It emerged last month that ESB are carrying out a review on the usage and location of some charge points in Northern Ireland.
The company revealed that it was proposing to move around eight charge posts in total in Northern Ireland which were being “under-utilised”, including the one in Fivemiletown, to other locations where there is greater demand. Under the plans, the charging point in Fivemiletown was going to be moved to Belleek.
There are currently electrical car charging points located in Enniskillen, Trory, Maguiresbridge, Belleek, Derrylin, Irvinestown and Florencecourt. Just outside Fermanagh, there is also a charging point in Dromore as well as the one located in Fivemiletown.
ESB ecars operates over 300 charge points in Northern Ireland, out of a total of 1,200 charge points between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Meanwhile, the UK Government has announced plans to end the sale of all new conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “We are determined to deliver a green revolution in transport and reduce pollution in our towns and cities. We are taking bold action and want nearly every car and van on UK roads to be zero emission by 2050 which is why we’ve committed to investing more than £600m in the development, manufacture and use of ultra-low emission vehicles by 2020,” he added.