Terraced street EV charging 'postcode lottery'

Sean says he breaks the law every time he charges his electric car outside his terraced home in Hull because access to charging is a "postcode lottery".

The 51-year-old bought his EV through the Motability scheme two years ago despite knowing he could not charge on his street, but hoped new infrastructure would make it easier for people without driveways to charge at home.

Unable to install a wall-mounted charger because it would require council permission, he instead uses a cable running across the pavement overnight.

A Hull City Council spokesperson said: "Under existing legislation, it is illegal to place a rope, wire or similar apparatus across a highway without consent."

The local authority is developing a policy on cross-pavement charging, but Sean says changes have not come quickly enough.

"I knew that it was going to be a problem, but it's one that hopefully the government was going to try and solve for people," he said.

"I just didn't expect it to take as long as it is and it's very different depending on where you live so it's a bit of a postcode lottery, but I knew it was the right decision for us because of the cost-effectiveness of it, especially as you can see the prices of fuel going up as they are at the moment."

Sean, a carer who looks after two adults, mainly charges his car at a nearby hospital and public charging sites during the day, but uses a "granny charger" from a domestic mains supply to top up his car overnight.

Charging at home is generally cheaper than using public charging points. Households on a standard variable electricity tariff currently pay an average of 26.32p per kilowatt-hour for electricity, while Hull City Council's public charging network charges 30p per kilowatt-hour and chargers at Hull Royal Infirmary are listed at 33p per kilowatt-hour, with parking charges paid separately.

Sean said he minimises the time the covered cables are across the path, putting them out late at night and removing them early in the morning.

"You have to be a bit clever with how you do it, obviously you can't have trailing wires and trip hazards so I have covers that go over it and I've written to the council several times to ask to be part of the pilot scheme."

When challenged about breaking the law, Sean said: "It doesn't feel comfortable, because at any moment you can get a letter through the post saying that you're doing something, and I'm taking a risk talking about that I do it now.

"But something has to change, and the only way that the council's going to do that is if people raise it up."

Under the Highways Act 1980, people are prohibited from placing a cable over the "highway" and are liable to a fine if found guilty. In addition, people who cause injury by trailing a cable could face civil action.

The Wheelchair Alliance said charging cables crossing pavements could create additional obstacles for wheelchair users.

Nick Goldup, chief executive of The Wheelchair Alliance, said: "Wheelchair users already face numerous accessibility challenges when navigating our streets and pavements, from poorly maintained surfaces to the growing number of e-scooters and hire bikes.

"We have previously called upon the Department for Transport to consider the impact these increasing obstacles can have on wheelchair users and charging cables potentially add another barrier."

A Hull City Council spokesperson said: "Whilst the Council is investigating future measures that could provide residents with convenient charging options, it is not currently the case that residents in the city are authorised to trail an electric vehicle cable across a public pavement.

"As the highway authority, Hull City Council does not permit this because it could cause a potential trip hazard."

Hull City Council has been awarded more than £2.8m from the government's Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund to help deliver more on-street residential charging and fast-charging points across the area.

The council said the final review of contracts was taking place before final submission for approval, but it could not give a timeframe for when installation work would begin.

In neighbouring East Riding of Yorkshire, residents can register interest in having a gully installed in the footpath outside their homes to allow charging cables to run below the surface.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council said 52 people had applied so far, although no formal decision had been made on whether to progress with a scheme.

The Government has issued guidance to local authorities to develop cross-pavement solutions, including cable gullies that run beneath the pavement.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 26.2% of all vehicles sold in the first half of 2026 were electric.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said the growing choice of models being made available combined with high fuel prices meant more people were likely to be considering a switch.

Simon Williams, head of policy for the RAC, said: "The government has actually made it a lot easier now to actually install EV chargers in terraced homes, and you can potentially run a cable under the pavement with permission without having to get permission from the council these days.

"So things are getting better from that point of view. But there's obviously no guarantee you can actually park outside your home."

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