ELECTRIC vehicle charging points could be part of the Market Road changes when the river wall safety works are complete.

The town council is overseeing its project to repair the river bank retaining wall and the resurfacing of the road is likely to follow.

The electric vehicle (EV) charging points are just one of the sustainability and environment policies that the town is embarked on. Councillors are also backing the idea of solar panels and adding an EV to its own fleet with a £25,000 budget. The current fleet’s emissions were higher than average because they undetook many short journeys and electric would be idea for this, said the council General Manager Southall.

Town Cllr Mandy Ewings has also long suggested the idea of having solar panels on the Molly Owen centre as a ‘green’ measure. This was accepted as a potential goal at the council’s budget and policy committee meeting last week (Tuesday May 23).

Council Clerk Carl Hearn said the solar panel issue was one of planning, which would take into account whether the Molly Owen roof structure was strong enough to take solar panels, if the mature trees in the area provided too much shade and whether the economics of generating electricity made the panels feasible.

He also said when the Government’s rules on energy performance certificates for buildings (involving insulation and other measures) were finalised, the role of solar panels would also be clearer.

Cllr Ursula Mann said the council should look at the simplest options, just as home owners do when assessing whether to have solar panels.

Cllr Neil Martin, who works for Tavistock Energy Community (TEC) providing advice to the public on the most efficient way of heating homes, said there were simple assessments for solar panel use which the council should adopt.