An electric car charging point that cost £6,018 to install has been used for just five hours since it was first installed in 2009.

The charging point in Putney Leisure Centre car park, Dryburgh Road, Putney, was created to allow drivers to use more environmentally friendly electric cars.

In Mapleton Road, Wandsworth, a charging point installed in 2008 has racked up 74 hours, 54 minutes since it was installed at a cost of £5,500.

There are a total of five electric car charging points in the borough, with others in Spencer Park, Wandsworth Common, St John's Avenue in Putney and Coverton Road, Tooting, which were  installed in June this year.

Overall it has cost £29,705 to install and maintain the installation points, which has been funded by a grant issued by the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Some electric car owners are able to charge cars in their own homes overnight reducing their need to use the council charging points while on the go.

A council spokesman said: "Across London charging points had to be put in place before the electric car market developed so that the very first owners could make use of their vehicles.

"Usage was always going to be very low in the early years until more affordable models become available and more people switch to this new, greener technology."

Electric car users have to register with the council first to use the charging points, and receive a charging cable as well as an electronic key fob.

Benefits include no petrol costs or road tax, and electric car drivers are also exempt from paying the congestion charge.

Jon Irwin, speaking on behalf of the Wandsworth Environment Forum (WEF), said: "In terms of encouraging more electric car use, as opposed to traditional cars, at a local level there could be differentiation on parking rates for electric vehicles.

"Ultimately WEF is encouraging the council to do more to make people travel actively walk, cycle or use public transport in the borough."

It costs £10 annually to register to use the electric charging points, which are then free to use for a year.