Twelve electric vehicle charging points have been installed in West St Helen Street Car Park. That is two on each electric pump. There are also 16 for Audlett Drive and  10 at the Cattle Market car parks.

The chargers are operated by EZ Charge – a Bicester Company, working with Oxfordshire County Council.

The Park and Charge scheme is designed for local residents who cannot install home charging. They will also work for people who have not installed home charging, or anybody who needs a top-up.

According to the RAC You can currently expect between 100 and 300 miles from a fully charged electric car, depending on the model.

There was a group litter pick by the River Thames this morning. About fifty volunteers took part. It was organised by AbiBinit!.

Group litter picks get a lot of attention and make people curious. (Follow the link AbiBinit! if you want to find how to get involved).The Mayor took part and then cycled away to pick up the chain for this group picture.

Helen, who organised the event, said it started over five years ago. When she first went out people laughed at her, but they are not laughing now. People get used to seeing people picking litter.

There are individuals who do their own litter picking of their own locality and Abibinit have an interactive map showing some of locations. For example Mike does Audlett Drive almost every week.

The group litter pick involved people in canoes picking rubbish from the water ways.

Also down at the lock, some new fence work, made from coppiced willows, has been weaved in the last week – behind the bug house.

Work is underway to install Park and Charge EV Charging hubs in 3 car parks in Abingdon. West St Helen Street will have 12 charge points,

Audlett Drive 16, and Cattle Market 12.

The cost of the installation is not from local council budgets but from grant funding from the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles. The primary aim is charging hubs for residents without off-street parking as parking is free overnight. These new EV chargers will be bookable overnight, and can be used during the day. Initially this will mean less parking for other vehicles, until more vehicles are electric and the charge points are needed more.

EV=Electric Vehicle

Councillor Cheryl Briggs, the Mayor of Abingdon-on-Thames, was among those planting trees in Rye Farm Meadow, near Abingdon Lock.

Local residents came along to plant the 420 trees, and that included young families and children. The Woodland Trust donated all the trees, the tree guards were recycled from Besselsleigh Woods, and Oxford Wood Recycling and CAG Oxfordshire funded tree stakes. The event was co-ordinated by the Abingdon Carbon Cutters and Abingdon Rotary. Permission was given by VWHDC (Vale of White Horse District Council) on their land.