No driveway? Brent unveils innovative on-street EV charging trial

Messy charging cables trailing across pavements could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to a new Brent Council pilot designed to make charging electric vehicles (EVs) at home safer and easier for residents without driveways.

Backed by a £169,000 grant from the Department for Transport, the council will trial slim channels embedded into the pavement that allow residents to run a charging cable from their home to their car without creating trip hazards or street clutter. The channels sit level with the pavement when they’re not in use, keeping footways accessible.

Cllr Krupa Sheth, Cabinet Member for Public Realm & Enforcement, said: “This is a simple, smart solution that could make it so much easier for people to go green and improve our air quality locally. We know lots of households have wanted to switch to an electric car but felt stuck because they don’t have a driveway, and home charging is usually the cheapest option. We’re hopeful this trial can solve that problem, while at the same time keeping our pavements safe and accessible for everyone.”

Duncan McAusland, who lives in Queen’s Park, is among the first Brent residents set to benefit from the trial. He said: "At last, having had the government actually put out grants to help councils like Brent, we have now had the money come in, and hopefully we will be trialling it very shortly."

The council will publish further details on the costs, eligibility criteria and how to sign up to the trial in the coming weeks. Residents who join the trial will have a gulley installed into the pavement outside their property. They will be expected to continue to arrange and manage their own home EV charging units.