Fireman does it himself after council refuses to charge bike

A LIMERICK City Council employee who claims he was refused permission to charge his electric bike at the city’s main fire station has co-sponsored the first free electric vehicle charging bay in Ireland.

The charging bay is a dedicated double parking bay at the Woodlands Hotel in Adare, Co Limerick, and is available to all electric vehicle owners who want to use the facility.

Marty Mannering, an electric vehicle enthusiast for the past 10 years, said: “I received a letter from the director of services for the environment, Caroline Curley of Limerick City Council stating that my request for the provision of a three-pin plug when I am at work in Limerick City Fire Station could not be accommodated.

“It’s nothing special that’s needed and I had to wait 18 months for such a dismissive answer. It is not what I would expect given the Government’s promises over the past few months.”

Mr Mannering said the facility would only cost in the region of 12 cents per charge.

A council statement issued in response says: “This is an employee relations matter and Limerick City Council does not discuss or comment on individual cases.”

Mr Mannering has contacted Eamon Ryan, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, with a view to getting a satisfactory answer from Limerick City Council on the issue.

“I have had to approach a local hotel that is proactive with EV (electric vehicle) issues and they welcomed the idea and acted immediately in the 50/50 funded idea,” he said.

The hotel’s general manager, David Fitzgerald, says: “We already support the only electric bike holidays in the world from the hotel and feel the future is in electric vehicles, cars, bicycles or motorcycles. If any EV owners want to stop here for lunch or a coffee and recharge before they go on their way they are more than welcome at the Woodlands Hotel Adare free of charge.”

Mr Mannering has set up a website on www.goeco.ie dedicated to free public electric vehicle charging stations across Ireland.

“I own the only full-speed 70m/h electric vehicle in the country that will do 1,000mpg on a single charge but we need the infrastructure to encourage EV use. Talk is good but we all know that in this recession, if we don’t do it ourselves it won’t get done.”

Mr Mannering, who studied renewable energy at Huddersfield University in England, was a finalist in the 2010 all-Ireland green awards for building Ireland’s first manufactured electric bicycle to be raced in the world electric bike championships.