Key Takeaways
- Charger gullies (shallow channels cut into pavements) let EV owners run a charging cable from their home to a car parked on the street, avoiding trip hazards.
- Domestic electricity is taxed at 5 % VAT, far cheaper than the 20 % rate applied to public chargers, offering significant cost savings for drivers without off‑street parking.
- Approximately 9.3 million UK households lack a driveway or garage, with London having the highest concentration of both EVs and parking‑deprived homes.
- Despite government removal of the planning‑permission requirement for gullies, over 20 local authorities—including Kent, Leicester, Worcestershire, Westminster, Hackney and Ealing—still block or limit installations.
- Councils cite safety, liability, maintenance responsibilities, accessibility for vulnerable pedestrians, and aesthetic concerns as primary reasons for resistance.
- Installers now need street‑works licences from each council, a process that varies widely and remains a bottleneck.
- Industry players report gradual progress in streamlining approvals but stress that without uniform council policies, many residents will continue to miss out on cheaper home charging.
Overview of the Policy Announcement
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband announced that allowing charger gullies—narrow channels cut into pavements to house EV charging cables—would help reduce charging costs for drivers. By enabling a direct link from a household’s electricity supply to a street‑parked car, gullies avoid the need for expensive public charging points. The government framed the move as part of its broader “slash red tape” agenda, aiming to make residential EV charging more accessible and affordable.
Scale of the Parking Challenge
Research by consultancy Field Dynamics shows that 9.3 million UK households lack off‑street parking, meaning they cannot install a private wall‑box charger. London bears the brunt of this issue: it has the highest number of electric vehicles in the country and also the greatest proportion of homes without driveways or garages. Consequently, a large share of EV owners in the capital must rely on public chargers, which are subject to higher electricity taxes and often involve longer wait times.
Financial Advantage of Home Charging
Charging an EV from a domestic supply attracts a reduced VAT rate of 5 % on the electricity used, compared with the 20 % VAT applied to public charging stations. For a typical driver covering 10,000 miles per year, this difference can translate into savings of several hundred pounds annually. The cost benefit is especially compelling for households that cannot park off‑street, making gullies an attractive technical solution to unlock those savings.
How Gully Technology Works
Companies such as Kerbo Charge, Gul‑e, Pavecross and ACO manufacture shallow channels or protective ramps that can be cut into the pavement or laid atop it. These gullies house the charging cable, protecting it from wear and preventing it from becoming a trip hazard. Proponents argue that the systems are low‑maintenance, durable, and safe when installed correctly, and they allow residents to reap the financial benefits of home charging without sacrificing pavement integrity.
Council Concerns: Safety, Liability and Maintenance
Many local authorities remain hesitant to approve gullies, primarily because of worries about who will maintain the channels and who would be liable if a pedestrian tripped over an exposed cable or a damaged gully. Councils also question the long‑term durability of the cuts in high‑traffic areas and fear that poorly maintained gullies could become hazards, especially for elderly residents, disabled individuals, wheelchair users, and those with visual impairments. The potential for electric shock if a cable is damaged further fuels these anxieties.
Specific Council Objections
Leicester City Council pointed out that terrace‑house residents often cannot guarantee a parking spot directly outside their homes, making consistent gully use impractical and raising accessibility concerns. Kent County Council highlighted the risk of electric shock should cables become frayed or severed. Worcestershire County Council stated it does not permit any breaking or damage to the highway for gully installation, though it would allow temporary cable‑protector ramps. In London, Westminster Council argued that gullies are unsuitable for its dense urban streetscape, while Hackney Council emphasized a desire to minimise street clutter and prioritise vulnerable road users by keeping chargers off pavements. Ealing Council echoed accessibility and safety worries, opting instead to expand public lamp‑post chargers.
Impact of Legislative Changes and Remaining Hurdles
The government’s removal of the planning‑permission requirement for gullies was intended to accelerate installations. However, installers still need to obtain street‑works licences from each local authority, and those licences are governed by individual council procedures. As Adam Dolphin of Gul‑e noted, the variation in processes means that the reform does not automatically translate into quicker approvals; councils continue to work through their own internal workflows, which can be slow and inconsistent.
Industry Perspective on Streamlining Efforts
Michael Goulden, co‑founder of Kerbo Charge, reported that his firm is collaborating with 48 English local authorities that either allow gullies or are trialling them. He observed that interactions with councils are becoming “more and more streamlined,” yet each authority retains its own distinct approach, leading to a patchwork of permissions. Dolphin echoed this sentiment, stating that while the bureaucratic barriers are not deliberately obstructive, the lack of a uniform framework still hampers widespread adoption.
Outlook and Possible Solutions
For gullies to become a viable solution for the millions of UK households lacking off‑street parking, a more coordinated approach between central government and local councils is needed. Potential pathways include developing national safety and maintenance standards, offering financial incentives or subsidies to councils that adopt gullies, and creating a streamlined, nationwide licensing process for street works. Until such measures are implemented, many EV owners will continue to face higher charging costs and limited access to the convenience of home charging.