Hartlepool, a coastal town in the North East of England, is adapting to the increasing demand for electric vehicle infrastructure, providing a range of public charging options and opportunities for home charging.

For those living in suburban areas such as West Park, Bishop Cuthbert, or Elwick, where many homes have driveways or garages, installing a home charger is a convenient and cost-effective option. Many homes in the urban and populated parts of Hartlepool, such as the town centre, lack off-street parking though. 

Hartlepool Borough Council has recognised the challenges faced by residents and launched their Kerbo Charge trial in 2024 so that those with street parking can safely charge their cars at home and take advantage of low-cost off-peak tariffs.

The product tackles a big problem for Hartlepool residents who don’t have a driveway, as explained by local resident James Pratt: “The main problems I faced were cost and convenience. I had to plan each charging session, find a public charger, plug and wait for it to charge, and then the cost of charging was around five times more than charging at home. It didn’t make getting an EV very attractive.

“Now that I have my Kerbo Charge installation I don’t think about charging anymore. There’s no fear of anything being stolen or damaged and I can charge at home as I like. Yes, you can’t guarantee a parking space in front of your home 100% of the time, but without Kerbo Charge, you can’t charge at home at all. In reality, I only need to top-up my EV once or twice a week, so it works out perfectly.” 

Kieran Bostock, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Assistant Director – Neighbourhood Services, said: “We are pleased to be working with Kerbo Charge on this trial which aims to make it easier and less expensive for residents who don’t have off-street parking to charge electric vehicles (EVs).

 “Anything which encourages the take-up of EVs is to be welcomed, and this initiative reflects the Council’s commitment – as set out in its Net Zero Strategy and Action Plan - to tackle climate change by reducing its impact on the environment whilst also supporting local communities to cut their emissions.” 

Hartlepool Council is supporting residents with grants and licences to make safe, legal cross‑pavement EV charging possible.

Apply now and you could be powering your EV from your doorstep in just a few weeks.