Electric vehicle cross-pavement charging cable licence

If your home doesn't have off-street parking, a cross-pavement channel allows you to charge your electric vehicle (EV) without trailing a charging cable across the pavement. It is an enclosed channel inserted into the pavement, from the end of your property to the end of the kerb.

You can't install your own cross-pavement channel, but you can apply for us to install one at your property.

We are trialling this application process in partnership with St Albans City and District Council.

Check if you may be eligible and apply for a cross-pavement channel

Information:

Before you apply, you'll need:

a photo of the proposed cross-pavement channel location (mark your preferred location on the photo, if you can)
written permission from the landowner for your chargepoint and cross-pavement channel, if you're a tenant
the supplier and model of your home chargepoint, if it's already been installed.

Eligibility Cost What happens next and how long it takes

Eligibility

Your cross-pavement channel location must meet the following criteria:

It must be in St Albans postcode AL1, AL2, AL3, AL4 or AL5 (our trial area).
It must be on a road that we maintain, not a private road.
It must be 2m from any trees, 10m from any junctions and 11m from any electrical or metal infrastructure such as streetlights or crossing lights.

Distances - why they're needed and comparable measurements >

10 metres from a junction
This distance is to ensure visibility, access and safety for all drivers. 10 metres is approximately the length of 2 cars.

2 metres from a tree
This distance is to minimise the risk of damage to the channel. 2 metres is approximately the arm span of an average adult or the height of an average door frame.

11 metres from electrical infrastructure
This distance is to ensure safety when charging your car in proximity to another charging car or other electrical items. 11 metres is approximately the length of a double decker bus or the height of a typical street light column.

It must not cross any grass verges.
Your property must not have a dropped kerb, a driveway or other off-street parking.
You must be able to park your vehicle fully on the road, as the cable channel will run to the edge of the kerb.
You must have regular access to it. A cross-pavement channel does not guarantee you a reserved parking space on a public road.

Planning permission for your home chargepoint

Before you install a home chargepoint:

ensure it's on the Government's list of eligible chargepoint models
check whether you need planning permission. If you do, you'll need to provide us with a copy.

Town and Country Planning legislation explains which properties:

are permitted developments and don't need planning permission. You have the option to apply for a lawful development certificate from your district council, to evidence this.
are not permitted, meaning that you should apply to your district council for planning permission.

Cost

We charge a non-refundable fee of £200 to assess your application.

If your application is approved in principle, we will provide an additional quote for installation.

Installation normally costs £1,200, including a subsidy from the Pavement Channel Grant. In exceptional circumstances, such as an extremely wide pavement, there may be a higher fee.

These charges are exempt from VAT.

What happens next and how long it takes

After you submit your application and pay the assessment fee:

1. We’ll assess your application, then send you either:

your approval in principle with a quote for installing your cross-pavement channel or
a refusal of your application, explaining why.

We aim to do this within 6 weeks.

Wait for us to confirm that we've approved your application in principle before continuing any further.

2. If you haven't installed your home chargepoint yet, you can then:

check whether you're eligible for a chargepoint grant and apply.
check whether you need planning permission for your home chargepoint. If so, you will need to apply through your district council. This can take up to 8 weeks.
arrange installation of your home chargepoint only once you've received confirmation about your chargepoint grant and planning permission.

3. We'll ask you to provide copies of:

your home chargepoint's electrical installation certificate
evidence of public liability insurance
our signed licence agreement
planning permission for your home chargepoint, where required.

4. Once you provide the required documents, we'll send you a payment link for installing the cross-pavement channel.

5. Once we have received your payment, we'll arrange to install your cross-pavement channel. We aim to do this within 12 weeks.

6. If you were approved for a home chargepoint grant, you will be able to claim it after your cross-pavement channel is installed.