Cabinet approves EV charging trail for residents without off street parking
Cabinet have agreed to introduce a trial that will allow residents without a driveway or off-street parking to charge electric vehicles safely from home.
The trial, which is expected to run for 12-months, will see the installation of cross-pavement charging channels. These are shallow gullies built into the pavement for the cables to run beneath the surface, safely removing potential risks to the public such as a trip or a fall.
Funding for the trail
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority secured £1.5 million from the Department for Transport to support the installation of electric vehicle pavement channels across West Yorkshire. We expect to receive up to £330,000 which will subsidise the cost of installation and significantly reduce the amount residents will need to pay.
Residents will have to apply to the council, and applications will be assessed to determine whether they meet the trial’s eligibility and suitability criteria before approval is granted.
Councillor John Hardie, Kirklees Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Transport and Highways said:
“As more people make the switch to electric vehicles, we need to ensure everyone has a fair opportunity to charge them conveniently and affordably.
“We know that households without off-street parking currently rely on commercial charging points, which can be more expensive than charging at home. In contrast, residents with a driveway benefit from lower domestic electricity tariffs and the convenience of charging their vehicle from their own home.
“This trial would help address that imbalance by providing a safe and practical charging solution for residents who don’t have access to off-street parking.”
How the trail will inform future plans
The trial will help us assess customer demand, affordability, convenience and potential risks associated with cross-pavement charging channels. The findings will be used to develop a standardised approach for domestic EV charging and inform any future long-term rollout across Kirklees.
We will collaborate with Kerbo Charge Ltd, who already operate in Leeds and Bradford, would be appointed to design, install and manage the channels on behalf of the council.
More information
Details of how we’re progressing with meeting the demand of electric vehicles in Kirklees can be found on our webpage On the move with electric vehicles.