Leeds Launches ‘Cross-Pavement’ EV Charging for Residents Without Driveways

Leeds City Council has become the first authority in Yorkshire to introduce ‘cross-pavement’ electric vehicle (EV) charging, allowing residents without off-street parking to charge from their home electricity supply.

Up to 115,000 households in the city that do not have driveways are now eligible to apply for an installation. The move is designed to remove one of the biggest barriers to EV ownership — access to affordable home charging.

The scheme is being trialled in partnership with British start-up Kerbo Charge, backed by investor Deborah Meaden. The system involves installing a discreet channel across the pavement, allowing a charging cable to run safely from a property to a vehicle parked on the street.

For local resident Ian Newbold, the change has been significant. Before the installation, he had to travel around a mile to reach the nearest public charger, where costs were considerably higher.

“There was simply no way I could recommend an electric car to any of my neighbours – the hassle and cost of using public chargers was just too much,” he said.

Charging at home can cost as little as 7p per kWh on certain tariffs, meaning a journey from Leeds to London could cost under £5 in electricity — compared with around £30 using a public charger.

Councillor Jane Dowson, Deputy Executive Member at Leeds City Council, said the initiative supports the city’s wider climate ambitions.

“You just have to listen to any of the reports about public charging, and the thing that worries people the most is the cost and finding a charger. Being able to charge outside your home is going to be a game-changer.

“This isn’t just about convenience – kerbside charging is a vital part of delivering our Connecting Leeds transport strategy. By giving people who don’t have driveways fair access to reliable charging, we’re helping more residents make the switch to cleaner, greener vehicles.”

Transport emissions form a significant part of Leeds’ carbon footprint, and the council says expanding access to affordable local charging will help reduce pollution and improve air quality.

Kerbo Charge co-founder Michael Goulden said demand had been strong since the trial launched.

“Congratulations to Leeds City Council for being the first local authority in Yorkshire to make cross-pavement charging available – we’ve had over 60 applications in four weeks, so this is going to be very popular across the city.”

The council expects the scheme to play a key role in accelerating EV uptake across Leeds.