Electric vehicle charge points will be introduced in Warminster, Melksham, Trowbridge, Corsham and Chippenham, following a government grant.

The Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) has given £225,000 to the council for the points, with a sixth also earmarked for Salisbury.

They will be positioned close to major routes for mid-journey top ups, and near businesses such as coffee shops and newsagents to accommodate drivers during the 20 to 30 minute recharge.

The council has recently installed a fast-charging unit in Bradford on Avon Station Car Park. It also plans to install twin charging points at Chippenham, Trowbridge and Westbury railway stations, in conjunction with First Great Western.

John Thomson, cabinet member for transport, said: “The council is working hard to reduce its CO2 emissions and its impact on climate change. We are committed to helping people travel in a more sustainable way and are always exploring new ways to reduce transport-related emissions across Wiltshire.”

In addition to the rapid charge points, the council has also been successful in receiving further funding from OLEV to have charging points installed in its office car parks and campuses. Once locations have been decided, staff and visitors to the sites will be able to use their electric vehicles when visiting key places in the region.

There are additional charge points installed at private locations throughout Wiltshire and the rest of the UK. Visit www.openchargemap.org/site to find out more.