DRIVERS in electric cars will have to pay to charge their car in a Malvern car park.

Malvern Hills District Council will introduce the fee for motorists charging their electric vehicles in Priory Road Car Park.

This is a departure from the council’s previous policy of providing free electric charging points in the car park.

At 26p per kWh, drivers of electric cars would have to pay more to park in the town than petrol or diesel owners.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Jack Satterthwaite has called on the council to change its mind on the decision, saying it will show their commitment to reducing carbon emissions and encouraging the use of electric cars.

He said: “Making it more expensive for electric car users to access our town centre undermines the carbon reduction plan that the district council recently published.

“We want to support the switch to electric cars in our town because they are better for tackling climate change and lower air pollution on our main roads.

“The district council should not be making it more expensive and inconvenient for Malvern residents to switch to electric cars in the coming years.”

“Electric cars are already expensive enough. So are the district council’s parking charges.

“I am calling on the district council to not add to electric car owners’ costs and keep the electric charge free for paying car park users.

“We have declared a climate emergency in Malvern, let’s act like it.”

Three charging posts have been installed in Priory Road Car Park South.

Each charging post contains two charging sockets so they can charge two cars simultaneously. A total of six cars can be charged at any one time.