NOVEMBER 2023 GLENFIELD GAZETTE online

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26 NOVEMBER 2023 GLENFIELD GAZETTE Where will we charge our electric cars? A child born today may take a driving test in 2040, if the rules don’t change and self driving cars don’t take over. That child may never drive a petrol or diesel car. For today’s drivers the switch to electric draws closer day by day. Although the ban on the sale of new petrol or diesel cars has been put back to 2035, the number on our roads will probably have reduced dramatically as a result of the progressive reduction in the number allowed to be sold. The aim is that 80% of new cars sold by 2030 will be electric. What if you can’t charge at home? The Government’s guidance indicates that most cars will be charged at home, but those who can’t will need to charge elsewhere. Technology may bring new solutions, but for the moment we have to plan on what we have available now. How big is the problem? The question is already being asked locally and at some point, before we come up with a solution, we need to establish the scale of the potential problem. If most charging will be done at home, then we need to assess the scale and time frame of the need for charging away from home. This means identifying - • how many homes in the village cannot charge from the domestic supply • how many of these homes have one or more electric vehicles (EV) • how many homes intend to switch to an EV within, say, 1, 3 or 5 years • how many feel that workplace charging, shopping centre or service station charging will not meet their need. The availability of charging is growing, but some say it is not fast enough. Shell Service Station near County Hall has recently installed EV chargers, and filling stations will no doubt be repurposed to cater for local needs as well as those who are driving long distances beyond their battery capacity. Zapmap.com helps find the nearest public charging points. Charging is available at some supermarkets, and early indications are that charging at the places we visit ((destination charging) will continue to grow. Since 2017 Lidl has installed rapid chargers at more than 300 stores, our nearest currently being at the Oadby and Wigston branches. In 2020 Aldi partnered with Shell to provide charge points at new stores. Tesco has charging at Hamilton and off Hinckley Road, but has not answered the question about plans for Beaumont Leys. Morrisons started installing EV charging in 2019, but at Glenfield say there is nothing to report yet. Customers at the Co-op at Laundon Way do not spend long enough instore to make it worthwhile, and the Central Co-op HQ have not responded about the Leicester Road store. Where there is a problem someone will see a marketing opportunity, and for many organisations EV charging is a commercial opportunity. No doubt more solutions will be suggested as deadlines approach. Kerbside charging may not sound like a good idea because of the limited space, health and safety and trip hazards of charging cables. But here again technology is finding answers and some borough councils have been trialling new kerbside units since 2021. They are effectively sockets in the pavement that are flat and flush to the surface when not in use. Although some Parish Councils may have car parks where perhaps EV charging could be installed, they are not utility suppliers and in addition there may be good practical reasons why they should not be involved. Other costs a cause for concern It isn’t just charging which is of concern to many motorists, it’s the costs currently associated with EV motoring, though in time these may fall. The Guardian reported that some EV owners found that insurance companies would not quote for covering their car. One driver found that his premium jumped from £1200 to more than £5,000. Another had his renewal rise from £447 to £4,661. This is not typical, and figures from Confused.com show that EV insurance premiums are 72% – or £402 – higher than this time last year, at a typical £959. For petrol and diesel car drivers, the increase is 29% (£848). Analysts say claims costs are 25% higher for electric cars, and that they take about 14% longer to repair. The cost and availability of parts is a factor, there is also concern around the batteries, and that damage, especially to the underside, can be expensive to fix. Add a skills shortage predicted to be about 16,000 EV qualified mechanics by 2032 and you have the perfect storm. As small garages fall behind in the skills race it is forecast that many will eventually leave the trade. If you have an EV, recharging on the motorway may be problematic. This month The Sun has reported that wait times for EV chargers are sparking furious rows between angry drivers, with marshals being forced to keep the peace at some motorway service stations to manage “charge rage” between drivers. The Department for Transport says charging points are far from readily available, with some parts of the country having none at all. The finger of blame is often pointed at the lack of capacity on the power grid. There’s good news, too The good news is that one local couple report that they do 12,000 miles a year, charge their car for around £12 a month at home, and recently took a problem free drive to Scotland. Contrary to the scare stories, their insurance is now less than their old petrol car. Electric cars? They love them. Norman Griffiths Maintaining your Vitamin D levels • Vitamin D is a key nutrient that helps support the immune system. You can get it from sunlight, food, and supplements. • It can be difficult to get enough vitamin D during cold and flu season if you live in a climate that gets less sunlight during the winter months. • You can increase your vitamin D levels by getting sunlight, eating foods rich in vitamin D, or taking a supplement if necessary. The recommended dietary intake of vitamin D is 600 to 800 IU per day for adults, although some experts believe the requirements should be increased. My biggest problem with the younger generation is I’m not in it.
GLENFIELD GAZETTE NOVEMBER 2023 Spot the Member of Parliament! 27 HOW CURIOUS that only a handful of our 650 MPs bothered to turn up in the Commons on Friday 20th October to hear what Andrew Bridgen MP had to say about the issue of excess deaths occurring across the UK. They presumably had more important things to do. If Gazette readers missed it, you can watch it online, and download the transcript at: https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/andrewbridgens-heroic-debate-on-excess-deaths/ Aldi Braunstone gets a fresh new look ALDI REVEALED a fresh new look for its Braunstone store when it re-opened to customers on Thursday 26th October. The new-look store offers increased space, dedicated to fresh British meat and fish, as well as popular Lacura health and beauty products, award-winning beers, wines and spirits, famous Mamia babycare products, and a new and improved ‘Food to Go’ section, offering a choice of fresh salads, sandwiches and sushi for busy customers. The format has been created to make shopping easier for customers and the store will now have more space and clearer signs to make shopping effortless. Fresh bread and cakes have been moved to the last aisle, preventing them getting squashed under customers’ shopping, and the store will now offer new, easy-to-browse freezers. The store employs 39 people from the local community, and the refurbishment will create five additional jobs. Braunstone customers can also take a walk down the ‘Aisle of Aldi’, where they will find legendary Specialbuys which are available every Thursday and Sunday. During re-opening week, the store will be offering a range of DIY and home essentials, including an electric garden blower and vacuum for £34.99, a multifunctional rotating LED torch for £4.99 and a 4v rotary tool for £14.99. The store is located on Meridian Way, Braunstone, LE19 1LW and will be open Monday to Saturday 8am – 10pm and Sunday 10am – 4pm. APPof the MONTH Message From Santa MESSAGE FROM SANTA enables the kids to leave a voicemail for Santa or to send him a text message, and to receive a video message from St Nicholas himself. Don’t worry, it’s not a real video call: the whole thing is simulated so you don’t need to worry about sharing your phone number. Enjoy reading the Gazette? Please pass it on! What do girls really want? THE MAJORITY of young girls would rather own their own house than have a husband by the time they are 30. They also prioritise ‘having a worthwhile job’ and ‘earning a lot of money,’ before ‘having children’. These are some of the findings of the latest annual Girls’ Attitudes Survey by Girlguiding. More worrying, the poll also found that girls’ happiness is at its lowest level for 15 years. Angela Salt, CEO of Girlguiding said: “It’s clear that girls are feeling pressures from all angles, from harm online, to appearance pressures to sexual harassment at school.” Nearly two thirds of 13-to-21-yearolds have received sexist comments online, and nearly half said they often feel sad or depressed, after spending time online or on social media. More than a third of young girls would even consider some form of cosmetic surgery, after seeing images of influencers or celebrities getting them. My wife accused me of being self-important. I nearly fell off my throne.
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