EV charging is postcode lottery as drivers face council confusion over pavement charging

Almost half of councils will allow EV pavement charging – gullies cut into the pavement or permanent under-pavement cables – by the end of 2026, according to new research.

But the same report, by Vauxhall’s Electric Streets of Britain campaign, found that costs can vary wildly, with some local authorities offering installation for free, while others demand more than £1000 for the same work. This is despite the government’s £25 million fund for such schemes.

Cross-pavement charging is seen as vital to allow the 40% of British households without a driveway to benefit from cheap home EV charging as the phase out of new petrol and diesel car sales approaches. Gullies should offer a relatively cheap solution to keeping charging cables out of sight, and preventing dangerous trip hazards.

Currently, 56 ‘tier one’ councils – typically unitary authorities, London boroughs and metropolitan boroughs – across England, Scotland, and Wales either offer these gullies now or plan to by the end of this year. While this sounds like progress, the research exposes a chaotic lack of consistency.

As well as a postcode lottery when it comes to costs, of the 134 councils that responded to the report, only seven have live schemes, with a further 21 at a trial stage and 28 planning to roll out cross-pavement charging in 2026. The remainder have no legal way of residents charging at home. 

Another report, by electric car lobby group, EVA England, found that drivers are facing delays of months or even years when filing planning applications, increasing costs yet further.

To combat these costs, Vauxhall has partnered with Kerbo Charge, which installs safe cross-pavement charging gullies, and is offering £500 towards the cost of installation as part of its Electric All In offer when purchasing one of its electric models.

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