TENANTS at the Bristol and Bath Science Park have become the first businesses in the South West to share their own fleet of electric cars.

The zero emission vehicles are now available for people working at the science park, just off the Avon Ring Road at Emersons Green, so they can make short journeys off site without having to drive to work in their individual cars.

Nine charge points will be provided and there are three Mitsubishi iMiEVs can travel nearly 100 miles before they need to be recharged. Tenants can book the cars in the same way as a car club for a small nominal charge.

Bonnie Dean, chief executive of the science park, said: "The novelty of the new electric cars has raised the profile of alternative ways to travel to and from the park.

"The new cars also make it easier for our growing population of cyclists and walkers to maintain their preferred method of travel. Our tenants address many challenges in their businesses on a day to day basis this means that choosing sustainable travel is no longer one of them."

The new fleet of electric vehicles is the latest addition to a number of sustainable transport initiatives at the science park, which already offers electric bikes and has 98 bicycle spaces as well as showers and drying facilities.

Paul McAfee, co-founder of JustOne Database, which has just moved into the Innovation Centre at the sciene park, said: "I’ve driven the electric cars a few times now and I really enjoyed the experience. They’re a lot of fun and create quite a buzz with passers-by and when turning up to meetings. "We went to one in Bath the other day and it was certainly a conversation-starter!

"The cars are just one more benefit the science park has to offer and we couldn’t be happier that we are here."