Off-street electric vehicle charging for residents
How to charge your vehicle when off-street parking is unavailable.
West Berkshire Council encourages the use of electric vehicles (EV) and aims to support the increasing number of local residents making the switch from Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles to improve air quality and public health.
We are currently installing additional on-street and off-street electric vehicle charging points around West Berkshire for those residents without access to off-street parking, but we also recognise that some residents would prefer to charge their car at home.
Home charging for residents without a driveway
We have completed a small trial of a cross-pavement cable channel that is recessed into the footway.
You can now apply for a cross-pavement EV charging channel that allows you to charge your car safely at home, using your own power supply.
If you don't have a driveway, a home electric vehicle (EV) charging channel is now the approved method of getting your charging cable from your home charger to your electric vehicle at the kerbside across a public footway - find out more on the Kerbocharge website.
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How the charging channel works
The channel is installed into the footway by an approved highways contractor for use by the homeowner who has made the application.
The homeowner uses the channel by lifting the lid and simply inserting their own electric charging cable into the channel and then closing the lid. You insert the cable a handful at a time and the self-closing lids snaps down shut behind, like a zip. The cable is only inserted when the resident is using the channel.
When you've finished charging you remove your cable by simply pulling it out along the length of the channel.
The product has a self-closing lid so cannot be left open.
No, you're responsible for organising that yourself. You must either have a local earth spike installed at your property, or a professionally installed EV charger that has an in-built protective earth neutral (PEN) fault device. Note that a Planning Application is likely to be required before a charge point can be installed for on-street charging - see our guidance on planning permission in the 'how to apply' section.
How strong is the home EV charging channel?
Most of the unit is made from UV stable rigid PVC (the same material used by Thames Water for their utility covers) and is strong enough to withstand the pressure of a high heel and also a vehicle driving over it. It was tested by BSI to BS EN1433 and has UK CA and European CE safety marks.
Is my property suitable?
If you can park outside your property, and also access a ground floor power supply, then you are likely to be suitable.
If you have a grass verge between your house and the pavement then installation is possible but is not recommended - it will be subject to the discretion of the council and would involve additional cost. It involves ground excavation and laying of a concrete base which is often undesirable due to the removal of green space.
Once we have received payment, we will review the site for suitability and if suitable, we will approve the s178 Licence. You can then contact the approved supplier to arrange the purchase and installation of the charging channel.
Costs
You pay a £181 non-refundable application fee to cover the cost of surveying your property to check it's suitable and to process the s178 Licence (please see information above about whether your property is likely to be suitable).
If your property is suitable, you'll pay the approved supplier £818 directly for the supply and installation of the channel - this price includes:
issue of permit for street works
installation of the BSI EN 1433 tested EV Charging Channel by an approved contractor
ten-year product warranty
In some rare cases (if you have a particularly complex installation) there could be an additional fee to cover installation costs, this will be fully explained to you.
You will not require Planning Permission for this charging channel. However, we recommend that you engage with the West Berkshire Council Planning Department, as Permitted Development Rights do not cover EV charging points where the vehicle will be charging on the public highway. It is likely that you will need to make a planning application for an EV charge point if you do not have off-street parking.
The target installation time is between 4 to 8 weeks from the time of paying your upfront application fee.
Guarantee
The manufacturer provides a 10-year product guarantee and a 3-year labour guarantee.
After your charging channel is installed
Parking your vehicle for charging
Vehicles should be parked as close to the property as possible. Where a vehicle cannot be parked immediately outside the property, the cable should be run along the carriageway channel against the kerb. The recommended maximum distance from a point outside the property is 10 metres (approximately 2 car lengths).
The cable should not cross the carriageway, therefore your vehicle should always be parked on the same side of the road as your property. Any vehicle parked on the highway should always adhere to any local parking restrictions that may be in place and should not obstruct the footway.
Alternatively, residents can enquire about the feasibility of the provision of an on-street charge point close to your property by emailing ev@westberks.gov.uk with your location details. We can assess the location for a possible charging bollard to be installed.
What if someone is parked outside my house?
Most charging cables are long enough to reach either one space up or one space down from directly outside your house. We find most residents just wait until the space becomes free and then move their car over.
However if parking in your area is so contested that you cannot park outside your house at least once per week, then a home EV charging channel is probably not the best solution for you.
It is not possible to dedicate a parking bay outside of your property for your sole use.
Maintenance
You are responsible for regularly clearing out the channel and removing any leaves or dirt that accumulate in the channel.
You are responsible for ensuring the unit is correctly operated and your cable is correctly inserted.
You are responsible for any repairs and you must indemnify the council against any claim in respect of injury, damage or loss arising from the use of your charging cable and the cable channel. We recommend you have relevant public/ third party liability insurance cover, through your car insurer, house insurer, or specialist third party insurer to cover cable trip claims.
Life expectancy of the product
The channel has a life expectancy of over 25 years, and the hinge mechanism is rated to open and close at least 25 million times.
Why is the council doing this?
A power cable trailing across a footway is a potential trip hazard for visually impaired, disabled and vulnerable people. At this time, the council unfortunately can't support trailing cables from your property to your vehicle, where it crosses the footway or the public highway. These obstructions are a safety hazard and could cause trips in residential areas, especially for pedestrians with restricted mobility or with visual impairments. If someone tripped and injured themselves, you could be prosecuted and there may be a liability under civil law.
It is important to consider public safety and existing legislation when placing the cable from the power supply in your home to your vehicle. Any legal liability arising from the placement of the cable is your responsibility.
EV Cable Channel Application Form [141KB] and email it to ev@westberks.gov.uk. We will then raise an invoice and send it back to you to pay the application fee.
