Douglas Council plans to re-designate six disabled parking spaces for electric vehicles as dual use.

In this month’s council meeting, councillor and member for Environmental Services Falk Horning explained the decision which would mean both blue badge holders and electric vehicles owners could make use of the spaces in Shaw’s Brow car park.

Mr Horning said: ’At the moment we have 12 disabled parking spaces in Shaw’s Brow.

’Our borough wardens have logged their use over many weeks, and it was found that the spaces were rarely used to full capacity.

’It was a tremendous under-use of the spaces.

’The council has tried for years to find a solution with Manx Utilities to get some spaces into Shaw’s Brow car park.

’Unfortunately, Manx Utilities insisted that the parking spaces needed to be of industry standard size, a much wider size than we currently have.

’It would have meant that the council would have had to come back and buy multiple parking spaces which would have led to a reduction of spaces, and we all know how sought after parking spaces are in Douglas.

’Before the pandemic, Shaw’s Brow was always at capacity, it really wasn’t an option for us to reduce the number in there.’

On the fact motorists would have to pay to use the car park and also pay for the electricity they use from the charging facilities, he added: ’It is providing a service in there and if people want that service, at the end of the day they have to pay for it.’

Meanwhile, Ramsey will have two more EV charge points in Market Place.

Commissioner Juan McGuinness felt it would encourage electric vehicle owners from other parts of the island to visit Ramsey, and this could benefit local businesses.

Luke Parker, also a Ramsey commissioner, was pleased with the initiative but asked that the spaces be monitored to ensure they were being sufficiently used and not taking up valuable parking spaces in the town.