SUPERMARKET giant Asda has apologised following complaints about issues with the electric car parking bays at its Barons Quay store.

According to customers, two of the four chargers at the store have been out of use ‘for many months’ and often one of the bays is occupied by a vehicle for the whole day leaving just one working charger available.

Asda cited a shortage of parts as the reason for the delays in repairing the broken chargers and encouraged customers to make staff aware of charging spaces being wrongly used.

Customer Adrian Tunley, based in Anderton, had reported the issue, describing it as 'unacceptable'.

He said: “Given the increase in electric vehicles and the obvious need and desire to have shoppers in Northwich, the excuses from Asda are unacceptable.

“As we’re trying to encourage people to buy more electric cars – and people won’t be left with another choice in time – then having charging points available will obviously be of great use to them."

Adrian, who has an electric car himself, ended up parking in one of the bays and plugging in the charger, knowing it doesn’t work, so that someone does not think he is up to no good.

He continued: “Rather than just park in an electric bay and say ‘it won’t charge’ and have someone ask why you are doing that, it’s actually easier and less embarrassing to plug it in.

“It’s easier to pretend than to have someone think that you have pinched an electric bay and you’re not bothering to use it properly.”

An Asda spokesman said: ''We are sorry that the time taken to repair the chargers has been longer than we would have liked.

“Due to a shortage of parts there has been a significant delay and we apologise to our customers for any inconvenience this has caused.

“If customers find that one of these spaces is being misused they can let one of our colleagues know and we will politely ask the driver to park in a different space whilst they complete their shop.''