Having read your article on local air quality in parts of the South Hams failing to meet national standards and endangering the health and well-being of local people, I read with interest your article on installing electric vehicle charging in town centre car parks throughout the South Hams.

To resolve the serious problem of poor air quality resulting from traffic pollution in the South Hams, increasing the uptake of zero and low emission vehicles such as electric and hybrid vehicles is surely the most practical and effective way to reduce air pollution.

With the support of South Hams District Council this could happen within a very few years.

Wider adoption of EVs could happen very quickly with an improved charging infrastructure, even allowing the increasing number of delivery vans on the roads to be replaced with electric vans that are cheaper to run for local businesses.

Charging points are available in Plymouth and Exeter city centres, but do not seem to be available in towns across the South Hams.

New housing developments in the area could also be required to design in charging points as standard.

Driving an EV over longer distances would be easier in the South Hams if the rapid Chademo charging points were installed along our major roads.

These rapid chargers will recharge an EV in 20 to 30 minutes, and so can be used as a stop off and coffee break on longer journeys.

The nearest locations offering the rapid Chademo charging points are Exeter services, Cornwall services near Bodmin, and Plymouth and Exeter town centres. There are, for example, no rapid charging points on the A38 between Exeter and Cornwall.

Making the switch to EVs will become more popular when the district council provides a local network of EV charging points for the South Hams and then we will make real progress in improving our local air quality.

Caroline Snow

Flood Street, Stoke Gabriel