New UK Rules Allow EV Charging Gullies, But Access Remains Uneven
England eases rules on cross-pavement EV cable channels, but many drivers still face barriers based on where they live.
Electric vehicle owners in England who lack off-street parking gained a potential new option under recently updated rules allowing cross-pavement gullies — narrow cable channels embedded in sidewalks — to be installed for home charging. For some drivers, the change promises significant savings, with one owner citing home charging costs as low as £6 per session compared with pricier public alternatives.
However, the practical impact of the rule change appears inconsistent across the country, functioning more as a postcode lottery than a universal solution. Alison Williams, an electric Volkswagen ID.3 owner in London, illustrates the gap between policy intent and on-the-ground reality. Despite the legislative update, Williams remains unable to install a gully outside her end-of-terrace home, leaving her without affordable home-charging access.
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Williams had purchased her EV two years ago partly as an environmental decision, having already invested in home insulation and solar panels. The inability to charge cheaply at home has undermined the cost case for her vehicle — a frustration shared by a significant share of urban EV drivers who rely on street parking.
The cross-pavement gully system, when accessible, represents one of the more practical near-term solutions for the roughly one-third of UK households estimated to lack private driveways. But critics and advocates note that without consistent local authority implementation, the rule change risks benefiting only those in certain areas while others are left dependent on public charging networks that remain more expensive.
Continue reading at Business | The Guardian.
