AN eco-friendly motorist has called for more electric car recharging points in Clacton.

Anthony Cotter, 50, of Clacton, is waiting for his new Nissan Leaf to arrive in September.

But Mr Cotter, who works as a driver, fears the lack of garages with battery recharging points will deter others from buying electric cars.

He claims there is currently just one in operation in Clacton.

Mr Cotter said: “The only charging point in the Clacton area is at the Renault garage in St Osyth Road.

“The problem is when the garage shuts, the shutters go down on the electric point as well, so this leaves nowhere in Clacton to recharge if you are visiting.

“The next nearest would be Harwich International Port or Colchester.”

He called on the Government to do more to boost the creation of charging points and for them to be introduced in council car parks.

Mr Cotter, who lives in a flat, said it would be difficult to charge his car at home.

“The Government is all for us going green and environmentally- friendly, so how come not one electric point has been set up in Clacton to help encourage people to buy one of these cars and help our planet more?” he said.

Green Party campaigner Chris Southall, of Burrs Road, Clacton, also owns an electric car.

He said: “The lack of charging points is a major problem.

“The Government had started to roll out charging points, but that has probably been cut back due to the Government cuts.

“It’s a real shame as the Government is still giving financial incentives for low-emission cars. There is probably Government money out there that Tendring Council could look for.

“This is something that the Green Party could look to campaign for.”

Mr Southall called on people buying electric cars to find ones that could be charged from an ordinary electric socket rather than a specialised one.

Tendring Council car parks boss Nick Turner said: “We did look into it three years ago and found putting in a charging point would be incredibly expensive and that hardly anyone would use it.

“But we will be revisiting the issue.”