Solar powered scooter shelters for Gloucester
New ‘green’ mobility scooter shelters will be using the power of the sun to charge the vehicles batteries.
The innovative new shelters will be built at two sheltered housing complexes in Podsmead – but could be rolled out across the rest of the city.
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Steven Jones
The single-story structures have solar panels, or photovoltaic cells, on their roofs, which will convert solar energy into electricity to recharge the scooter batteries.
The first will be built at Halford House on Masefield Avenue, and will provide space for six scooters.
The second will be built at Badger Vale Court, off Woodpecker Road, and will provide spaces for 15 scooters.
Planning applications for both shelters were considered by Gloucester City Council’s planning committee on Wednesday.
Although councillors welcomed the plans for the green shelters, they expressed some concern over possible vandalism of the solar panels.
Councillor Gordon Taylor (Con, Abbey), asked: “Are these cells easily broken by people throwing stones at them, as I believe they are expensive?”
Councillor Phil McLellan (Liberal Democrat, Barnwood), the chairman of the planning committee, asked; “Can we make sure we speak to the architects and let them know our concerns over the possible security problems?”
The man who designed the new shelters was Steven Jones, 21, from Longlevens, a student studying architecture at Leicester University.
He is currently working for a year at Potter and Holmes architects on Alvin Street.
He said: “This will be the first thing I have taken from the drawing board to where it is at the moment. It’s a feeling of pride.
“The main point was that we have to make it effectively carbon neutral.
“By using the photovoltaic cells we are managing to achieve that.”
8 Comments
by Norman Miles, Chengdu.China
Monday, January 25 2010, 4:34AM
“A very good idea,there are trwo things he may be able to do,have the solar panels mounted away from the shelters on a tall building,and above all do not let Phill:Walters the ex-plating shop manager at Dowty`s read his suggestion,as it will become his.”
by Eggy, Faced Scrote
Sunday, January 24 2010, 10:57PM
“Nice one Mal-But generators will contain noise pollution so the fat overpaid councillors wont pass planning consent”
by Mal, Local
Sunday, January 24 2010, 10:39PM
“Why not just extrapolate the scheme to include a shed with pedal driven generators powered by the vandal-scrotes who think it's amusing to wreck everything?
We could all go and watch. Bring your own rotten eggs and vegetables.”
by Keith, Gloucester
Sunday, January 24 2010, 10:11PM
“For once I think council officials are being pro-active in asking how vandal proof these devices will be. The local scumbags always have, and always will, target the most vulnerable.”
by WML, Stroud
Sunday, January 24 2010, 8:08PM
“Oops - shoud read "if more of us were to make use of solar panels it would bring the overall price down"”
by WML, Stroud
Sunday, January 24 2010, 8:05PM
“Great idea - it takes the new generation to take advantage of green technology. If more use were made of solar panels etc, it would bring the overall priuce down, so more people could afford to buy them. I hope all our local councils will be happy to grant planning permission for most installations in future.”
by Simon Henly, Eastington
Sunday, January 24 2010, 3:34PM
“What a great idea and greatto see a young person involved in the design. I hope these prove to be a useful feature.
However.... it is flipping typical of our hand wringing so called leaders in the council to ask whether they would be vandal proof assuming they WILL be vandalised by the Chelt scroteys rather than doing something about clearing the streets of the scum who would be responsible. The plods and the rest of the judicial system are just as bad with their "everyone's a victim even the criminals" attitude.”
by Simon Henly, Eastington
Sunday, January 24 2010, 3:17PM
“I think this is an excellent idea and good luck to the company responsible.
I thought however that it was typical of our great hand wringing leaders in the council to ask how resistant to vandalism they were, resigning themselves to the fact they WILL be vandalised rather than doing something about cleaning the streets of the scrotey scum that would be responsible.”