BRAINTREE Council bosses say they are proud the district has become a “pioneer” of electric vehicle charging.

The district is ahead of the times when it comes to electric vehicle charging points.

The UK’s first electric vehicle charging forecourt, Gridserve, off the A131 in Great Notley, was built in 2020 and multiple charging stations have been installed since.

The council has highlighted a number of council-owned charging points in the district, which are available to use with a BP Pulse subscription costing £7.85 per month.

These are:

• George Yard Car Park, Aetheric Road, Braintree, CM7 1RB

• Causeway House, Bocking End, Braintree, CM7 9HB

• Halstead Leisure Centre, Colne Road, Halstead, CO9 2HR

• Witham Leisure Centre, Spinks Lane, Witham, CM8 1EP

• Braintree Swimming Centre, Charter Way, Braintree, CM77 8YJ

• Enterprise Centre, Springwood Drive, Braintree, CM7 2YN

• White Horse Lane Car Park, Witham CM8 2BU

A spokesman for Braintree Council said: “In Braintree district, we haven’t been asleep at the wheel.

"We were pioneers of electric vehicle charging with the introduction of Gridserve in 2020, the UK’s first electric vehicle charging forecourt.

“If you want to venture outside of the district, Zap Map puts you in the driving seat.

"The app shows all the charging points in the UK and beyond. Download it from your usual app store and never worry about finding a charger again.”