AN environmental group based in Church Stretton is calling for more charging points for electric vehicles.

Stretton Climate Care has recruited the support of Ludlow MP Philip Dunne in a bid to get more places in south Shropshire where drivers can plug-in.

The MP tested an all-electric car in Church Stretton at an event promoted by Stretton Climate Care.

Church Stretton installed an electric charging point for vehicles last year.

Now Philip Dunne has joined Stretton Climate Care in calling for more charging points to be set up across the Ludlow constituency.

Electric cars, including the Nissan Leaf, are ultra low emission vehicles (ULEV). Due to private and government investment in charging points, the UK network has grown from just a few hundred in 2011 to more than 8,400 in June of this year.

“I am backing Stretton Climate Care in calling for more electric vehicle charging points at convenient locations in the Ludlow constituency,” the MP said.

“These vehicles are growing in popularity, with more than 40,000 sold in the UK so far.

“There are still challenges to overcome before popularity of electric cars really takes off, not least of which is ensuring a sufficient network of charging points across the country.

“Technical improvements in battery capacity, plus general economies of scale, will hopefully see electric cars become more affordable and encourage uptake.”

Sales of ULEVs in total are approaching 40,000 in UK, only one per cent of total sales of new vehicles.

Demand has grown substantially for the last three years with new registrations of plug-in cars increasing from 3,500 in 2013 to almost 40,000 by the end of June 2015, with a significant increase in the variety of models available in the UK.