A new EVA England survey and consultation response warns millions risk missing out on affordable home charging without urgent changes, as the UK Government is also consulting on planning development reform.
According to new evidence submitted by EVA England to a UK Government consultation on reforming planning rules for cross-pavement charging, drivers without driveways are being locked out of affordable electric vehicle charging by cost, confusion and council delays.
EVA England’s latest driver survey, focused specifically on cross-pavement charging solutions, shows overwhelming unmet demand for technologies that allow drivers to charge safely from home even when they park on the street.
Of drivers without a driveway, more than nine in ten (93%) do not currently have a cross-pavement solution – yet nearly four in five (78%) say one could realistically work for their home.
Despite this, only eight drivers surveyed had been able to install a solution. Many described repeated refusals, months or even years of silence from councils, or being deterred by planning costs that in some cases added around £500 per household on top of installation costs approaching £3,000.
Drivers reported frustration at being told such solutions were unsafe, while being tacitly allowed to trail charging cables across pavements with mats – something many felt posed a far greater risk to pedestrians. “We have sometimes run a cable across the pavement,” said one driver for the survey, “It doesn’t really feel like a solution – but nobody has ever commented on it.”
Where cross-pavement solutions had been installed, feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Drivers described them as safer, easy to use, and transformational in reducing charging costs. One respondent said: “A cable gully would be ideal. I have solar and off-peak electricity. It’s cheaper for me, better for the grid, and avoids cluttering the street with chargers.” Others said they were delaying buying an EV altogether until such a solution was available.
EVA England’s submission supports the government’s proposal to introduce new permitted development rights for cross-pavement charging and associated domestic chargepoints, removing the need for a planning application while keeping local authority control over highway safety and accessibility. Drivers told EVA England that planning complexity and uncertainty alone was enough to stop them applying.
The findings echo broader evidence from EVA England’s earlier, large-scale annual driver survey, which shows the wider consequences of the charging divide. EVA England is calling for clear national rules, lower costs, and better guidance for councils and residents on the issue.
Vicky Edmonds, CEO of EVA England, said:
“Drivers are telling us the same thing again and again: the technology exists, the demand is there, but the system is getting in the way.
“Cross-pavement charging could unlock affordable home charging for millions of households, yet too many drivers are stuck waiting, paying more, or putting off going electric entirely. This consultation is a real opportunity to remove one of the most frustrating and unnecessary barriers drivers face. We hope the Government will act on it.”
Ian Mackenzie, Chief Executive Officer, Trojan Energy, said:
“Trojan Energy agrees that a clear driveway divide exists across the UK. There are proven, safe on-street charging solutions that do not intrude on the experience of other pavement users.
“Without strong deployment of these solutions, the 35% of drivers who park on-street risk being locked out of cheaper charging, seriously undermining equitable EV uptake and a truly just transition.”
Ben Macdonald, Managing Director at Nodum, said:
“Ensuring that as many people can charge using the cheapest overnight energy is critical to ensuring that this transition is just and inclusive.
“Solutions need to be tailored to the needs of residents and also be sympathetic to the British built environment. Cross pavement solutions will enable more people to make the switch to cheaper motoring”.
Michael Goulden, Co-Founder of Kerbo Charge, said:
“Removing the need for planning permission for a home charger when a resident already has local authority approval for a cross-pavement channel is common sense and vital for removing red tape for UK residents.
“In our own survey completed by 2,800 drivers with on-street parking, 43% said that needing to get planning permission for a charger would completely deter them from getting an EV. Scale this up to the 7 million terraced houses in the UK and this means around 3 million households will never get an EV unless this legislation is changed.”
Image of report courtesy of EVA England