About our on-street charging pilot scheme for electric vehicles
We are taking part in a pilot scheme to make home charging a safer, more realistic option for residents who do not have the ability to park off-street.
The pilot scheme involves testing the Gul-e cable channel. This is installed in the pavement to allow the safe trailing of charging cables from property to vehicle in areas without off-street parking.
The specially designed gully allows residents who park on the street to safely connect their electric vehicle to their electricity supply when parked outside their homes. The channel is integrated into the pavement and has been designed so that cables will not cause a trip or slip hazard.
There are lots of homes in Central Bedfordshire that do not have their own off-street parking. This makes it difficult to charge electric vehicles at home and to transition away from petrol and diesel vehicles.
The channel has been installed in 18 locations across the area. These include:
- Aspley Guise
- Biggleswade
- Brogborough
- Campton
- Dunstable
- Fairfield
- Flitwick
- Henlow
- Leighton Buzzard
- Pulloxhill
The pilot scheme will run for a 6-month period, until January 2023. During this time, we will be gathering feedback from participants on their experiences of using the channel and charging at home. We will report back on our findings in early 2023.
This is one small solution to the wider need for electric vehicle charging infrastructure but if the pilot scheme is successful, we hope to be able to offer this as an option for other residents at a cost.