Twenty councils across the UK where households are excluded from a new driveway rule have been revealed. The Labour Party government promised to cut red tape in October, vowing to pass legislation this summer allowing motorists to run power cables through a charging gully built into the pavement outside their homes without needing planning permission.
However, 20 local authorities currently do not permit or have no policy on electric vehicle (EV) gullies for residents. This creates a so-called "postcode lottery," meaning many EV owners in certain areas may have to pay more to charge their vehicles. Charging at home is significantly cheaper than using public rapid chargers.
List of Councils Not Allowing EV Gullies
The councils include Staffordshire County Council, which stated: "At present, Staffordshire County Council does not permit the trailing of cables or the installation of any cross-pavement solutions for Electric Vehicles. This includes gulleys or cable mats, as it represents a health and safety hazard and an impediment to the safe use of the highway by the visually and/or mobility impaired, or other affected user groups."
- Argyll and Bute Council
- Hampshire County Council
- Herefordshire Council
- Kent County Council
- Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council
- Leicester City Council
- Ealing Council
- Hackney Council
- Hounslow Council
- Lambeth Council
- Merton Council
- Waltham Forest Council
- Medway Council
- Midlothian Council
- Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
- Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
- Somerset Council
- Staffordshire County Council
- Westminster City Council
- Worcestershire County Council
Council Justifications
An Ealing Council spokesperson said: "The council decided not to move forward with an EV gully trial, for the time being, to consider its use alongside other uses of the pavement and kerb. We took into account the needs of the people using the borough’s pavements, including the elderly and less able-bodied individuals, especially those on wheels and people with visual impairments. Gullies can have a significant impact on the feel and safety of pavements for residents walking or wheeling. Gullies would also involve significant upfront costs for residents, and would only be cheaper than lamp column charging after five years."
Government Response
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband previously stated that the "overwhelming lesson of this crisis is we need to go faster" on the government’s plans to reduce the UK’s reliance on volatile fossil fuel markets. "Because every solar panel we put up, every wind turbine we build, every heat pump we install, every EV on the road makes our country more secure," he said.
