Electric vehicle owners without a driveway will benefit from a major rule change overseen by Andy Burnham, effective October 21. The Prime Minister is cutting red tape for cross-pavement solutions, such as pavement gullies, which allow motorists to connect their domestic electricity supply to their EV parked on the street.
Currently, homeowners with a driveway pay 0% VAT to charge their EV at home, with rates as low as 7p per kWh. However, millions of UK homes lack off-street parking, forcing owners to pay 20% VAT or up to 50p per kWh. Cross-pavement solutions have been a workaround, but until now they required planning permission.
New Rules Simplify Approval Process
Under the new changes, road users will only need local permission, which should be much faster than the previous planning permission process. The Department for Transport (DfT) previously explained that cross-pavement solutions enable a safe passage between a home chargepoint and a vehicle parked on the street, minimising trip hazards and maintaining accessibility for pedestrians.
The DfT noted that these solutions help reduce dangers associated with trailing cables across public footways, which can pose risks to pedestrians, especially those with mobility or visual impairments.
Concerns Over Council Approvals
James Court, public policy director at Octopus Electric Vehicles, welcomed the move but warned of a potential “postcode lottery”. He said: “It doesn't solve the bigger problem. Councils will still decide whether these installations can go ahead, leaving us with a postcode lottery where one council enables cheap home charging.”
Court added: “With around 40% of households without off-street parking, closing the ‘driveway divide’ means making safe cross-pavement charging available to everyone who needs it. This is a positive step, but there’s more to do.”
Second EV Rule Change This Month
The update is the second EV rule change in October, following Burnham's earlier decision to slash VAT on domestic electricity rates from 20% to 0% on October 1. The new planning permission changes take effect on October 21, giving road users only days to understand the revised process.
