Maulden Parish Council have just received notification from Central Beds Council that, despite the installation of the EV charging points having already happened in The Brache, restricting 4 of these parking bays to EVs only cannot take place without a formal Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) being agreed – and that cannot be agreed without a full public consultation taking place.
MPC were misled as we were told by the CBC officer dealing with this project that the parish council had no choice and the 8 EV charging points would be installed in The Brache, with penalties applicable to non-EVs parked in those 4 bays restricted to EVs only.
While it appears MPC may have had no choice as to where the charging points were installed under this Central Government-funded scheme, CBC have now admitted that they cannot restrict any parking spaces to EVs only without having a TRO in place.
So, Maulden residents can have their say on whether they agree with 4 of these bays being restricted to EVs only, and their comments and objections will form part of the report submitted to the Traffic Management Committee who decide whether to make and publish a TRO.
If the TRO is not agreed, there will be no restrictions on what vehicles can use any of the bays but MPC expect that, as the charging points are already installed, they will be switched on to allow EVs to be charged there when the space is available.
Details of the public consultation are in the notice below and may also be viewed online at www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/publicstatutorynotices.
Comments should be sent by e-mail to highways.consultation@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk by February 17, 2023. Any objections must state the grounds on which they are made and must quote unique reference number A00349ON.
If you want to send in your comments in writing, please send them to Central Bedfordshire Council, Priory House, Chicksands, Shefford, SG17 5TQ, for the attention of Emily Hirst.
MPC are awaiting a response from CBC as to how the installation in Maulden was allowed to proceed before the approval of the public consultation documents, and to find out if the other on-street site in Potton or any of the 9 off-street car park sites in Biggleswade, Dunstable, Gravenhurst, Houghton Regis, Leighton Buzzard, Henlow, Shefford, or Stotfold, have also been installed already.