Search: Kerbo Charge

Slough Borough Council has begun a one-year trial of cross-pavement charging channels for residents without driveways, funded by £130,000 from the Department for Transport's Electric Vehicle Pavement Channels Grant. The scheme will install 20 Kerbo Charge cable gullies, with residents paying £399 towards installation costs, potentially saving them around £4,000 per year compared to public charging. The Kerbo Charge system is the only approved method for running a charging cable across a public footway in the UK.

Why it matters: The trial addresses a key barrier to home charging for on-street parkers and tests a scalable model that could inform wider local authority procurement of pavement channel solutions. The £399 resident contribution and £130,000 grant structure offers a replicable funding approach for councils seeking to expand residential charging access.

The UK Government plans to introduce legislation this summer allowing EV drivers without off-street parking to install pavement gully charging systems without full planning permission, backed by £25 million in grants distributed to around 80% of upper-tier English local authorities. However, Professor Greg Marsden of the University of Leeds reports that many councils are still working through practical delivery and wider implications, with concerns about neighbourhood tensions over parking space ownership once chargers are installed. Kerbo Charge, which has installed around 1,500 cross-pavement charging units, is among industry players navigating the rollout.

Why it matters: The scheme could unlock home charging for fleet employees without driveways, but delivery uncertainty at council level may slow procurement timelines and create uneven geographic availability for charge point operators planning residential infrastructure.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has announced new measures to support home EV charging, with legislation expected later this year to introduce permitted development rights for cross pavement charging solutions and associated charging points. The guidance aims to help renters, flat dwellers and households without driveways install chargers, with cross pavement solutions involving small gulleys cut into pavements to feed cables without obstructing pedestrians. Kerbo Charge CEO Michael Goulden welcomed the announcement as decisive action needed to expand charging access.

Why it matters: Permitted development rights will remove planning barriers for on street residential charging infrastructure, opening a significant new market for installers and charge point operators targeting properties without off street parking. The legislative change addresses a key barrier to EV adoption in urban areas where millions of UK households lack driveway access.

Vauxhall has joined Kerbo Charge's Electric Streets of Britain campaign, which aims to expand residential on-street charging infrastructure. The partnership comes as more than 40% of UK local authorities have committed to providing cross-pavement charging solutions by the end of 2026, addressing a key barrier for EV adoption among residents without off-street parking.

Why it matters: The commitment from over 40% of councils represents significant near-term procurement opportunities for cross-pavement charging hardware and installation services. For CPOs and suppliers, this signals a maturing market for residential on-street solutions that can unlock EV adoption in urban areas where traditional driveway charging is not feasible.

Bradford Council is rolling out cross-pavement EV charging channels outside homes without off-street parking, using the Kerbo Charge system to let residents charge from their domestic electricity supply. The pilot, approved by the council's Executive in August 2025, is initially targeting properties with reserved parking bays, including disabled persons' spaces. The scheme may be expanded further based on user feedback.

Why it matters: The trial demonstrates a scalable model for on-street residential charging in areas without driveways, a key barrier to EV adoption. Councils and charge point operators evaluating kerb-side solutions will watch Bradford's rollout for procurement and deployment lessons.