The battle against pollution is being stepped up with the introduction of 40 new electric car-charging bays across Hammersmith and Fulham by end of next year.

Planning applications for 10 new on-street car-charging points, each with two bays, have been submitted to H&F by service providers Source London Network, with applications for a further 10 charging points expected to follow shortly.

The new facilities are being considered in response to growing demand from residents as the popularity of low and zero-emission cars continues to rise in Hammersmith and Fulham, with numbers tripling year on year.

H&F revealed earlier this year that air pollution kills more than 200 people in the borough every year.

And before that, a cycling group carried out tests which revealed pollution on the in the borough was worse than thought, with children being hit hardest .

Cllr Wesley Harcourt is head of transport and environment at the council. He said: “We are committed to improving air quality by driving-down harmful emissions in H&F. These new on-street charging points will help power the welcome growth of low-emission vehicles in the borough.

“More residents using electric cars will see a reduction in CO2, NOx and particulate matter emissions that have detrimental effects on health and the environment.”

The first ten charging points, if granted planning permission, should be installed in early 2016, with the remaining ten expected to be up-and-running before the end of the year.

With Westfield shopping centre having 40 charging bays in its car park, it will bring the total in the borough to 80 by the end of 2016.

Residents who are keen to have a charging point in their street can notify the council online. If sufficient requests are made the H&F will investigate installing one.