West Berkshire becomes one of the first UK councils to make through-pavement charging available to all their residents

West Berkshire Council has become the first UK council to complete a trial of a through-pavement system for charging electric vehicles (EV) and roll it out to all of their residents.

After a trial over the last 9 months, residents without driveways will now be able to use the innovative Kerbo Charge system to charge their EVs from their home supply, which is 5 to 10 times cheaper than public chargers. This initiative will help improve air quality and reduce CO2 emissions in West Berkshire.

Here's how it works: when a resident wants to charge their car, residents simply insert their charging cable into the channel, and the specially designed lid closes behind it like a zip, eliminating potentially hazardous cables stretching across footpaths.

The latest data from Zap Map shows there is no economic incentive to move from petrol/diesel cars to electric unless drivers can charge at home (or work) because public chargers cost more per mile than petrol[1].

The rollout of these through-pavement charging channels makes owning an EV much more attractive - residents can then charge off-peak for as little as 7.5p / kWh or 7p / mile[2].

Councillor Stuart Gourley, Executive Member for the Environment and Highways at West Berkshire Council, said: “We are excited to offer this groundbreaking solution to our residents with Kerbo Charge.

“It not only makes EV ownership more accessible but also supports our commitment to improving air quality and reducing carbon emissions.”

Clare Fox from Kintbury, a user since October 2023, shared: “We're really happy with our Kerbo Charge channel as it means we can now safely charge our EV at home. I'd recommend it for anyone without driveway parking."

Michael Goulden, CEO and Co-founder of Kerbo Charge said: “This is a very exciting moment - I think we’re now going to see widespread adoption of EVs by West Berkshire residents who don’t have access to a driveway and until now didn’t have the confidence to move away from petrol/diesel cars.”

The cost of the installation is £999 and residents can take £350 off this price by applying for a central government grant. The work is completed by the council’s highways contractor, VolkerHighways.

By making EV charging more convenient and affordable, West Berkshire Council is making a significant step towards a cleaner, greener future. Residents should visit https://www.westberks.gov.uk/evguidance to place their order.

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[1] Source, Zap Map: https://www.zap-map.com/ev-stats/charging-price-index

[2] Source, Zap Map: https://www.zap-map.com/ev-stats/charging-price-index