No-charge recharge for Asda workers

Asda yesterday revealed that it was doing its bit to help Yorkshire become a regional centre for the next generation of electric cars.

Julian Walker-Palin, the head of corporate sustainability at Asda, said the supermarket chain wanted to encourage staff to use "green" forms of transport and the electric car charging bay has been opened for employees at Asda house in Leeds.

"There is a chicken and egg situation," he said.

"There is nervousness about buying an electric vehicle if you can't be certain you can charge it up. We wanted to break that chicken and egg situation by putting charging points into our business.

"We already have five stores in London that have 10 bays for electric car charging."

According to C02Sense Yorkshire, an organisation which aims to cut the region's carbon emissions, there are expected to be 100 people using electric cars across Yorkshire and the Humber next year.

Mr Walker-Palin added: "In 2012, they are expecting that figure to rise to 400 and by 2013, they are expecting it to rise to 1,000. The more charging points that are put in, the more effect we'll see on the purchasing rates.

"We certainly hope this charging bay is the first of many. We wanted to be a beacon."