Opposition councillors have called for a boost to the number of electric charging points for cars across Aberdeen.

The SNP group on Aberdeen City Council has called for the local authority to build on its hydrogen success by investing in an electric future too.

Leader of the group Stephen Flynn lodged a motion to the full council asking them to undertake a strategic appraisal which would identify where, and how, it can increase the number of charging points on its roads.

Mr Flynn said: “The council has made great progress in promoting hydrogen technologies and I fully believe we can do similar, if not more, with electric vehicle charging technologies too.

“Some might feel that you can’t seek to invest in both hydrogen and electric, but it doesn’t have to be a case of one or the other, and it’s important that we recognise that most conventional car dealerships appear, at present, to be investing in an electric future.

“Ensuring that our city is ready to support those people switching from petrol and diesel vehicles is vitally important and will also help to build our reputation as a renewable energy hub.”

Examples exist of lampposts being converted to include vehicle charging points, as well as electric charging centres.

Last year a study by the RAC Foundation found the growth of electric car use could stall because of the public charging network.

It found that without widespread, reliable and easy to use charging points, the mass market appeal of ultra-green vehicles may be limited.

It could also hamper the Government’s plan to ban the sale of conventional petrol and diesel cars by 2040, the research warned.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced earlier this week that fire stations across Scotland could host new electric charging points for cars as part of plans for almost £17 million of investment in green transport.

The cash would be spent on 1,500 new plug-in stations for vehicles and more than 100 green buses.

The motion will be debated by the full council on Monday.