Surrey County Council has introduced a scheme allowing households without off-street parking to install a cable gully for £499, enabling safe electric vehicle (EV) charging across pavements. The initiative, in partnership with Kerbo Charge, follows a trial in 2024 and aims to make home charging accessible to more residents.
How the cable gully works
The cable gully is a channel that lets residents run their EV charging cable across the pavement safely. A specially-designed lid closes behind the cable like a zip, keeping pavements trip-free. Residents must first complete an initial assessment with Kerbo Charge to check property suitability via their website, then apply through the Surrey County Council website, paying the £499 fee.
Government funding reduces costs
The total cost per household would normally be over £1,000, but central government funding reduces the fee to £499. Labour Party Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister Keir Mather said: “Charging availability is one of the biggest barriers to switching. Backed by over £250,000 in Government funding, drivers in Surrey without access to off street parking will now be able to save over 50% on the cost of installing cross-pavement charging solutions.” He added that the government is investing £600 million to speed up charger rollout, and the Electric Car Grant has already helped over 120,000 drivers save up to £3,750 on a new EV.
Council and company reactions
Surrey County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth Cllr Matt Furniss said: “EV charging needs to be accessible for all Surrey residents, not just those with a driveway. I’m delighted we’ve been able to launch this scheme to help people access home charging for their EVs.” He noted that alongside 500 on-street EV chargepoints installed across Surrey, the scheme makes EV ownership a real option for more people. Kerbo Charge Co-Founder Michael Goulden said: “Congratulations to Surrey County Council! We're delighted to be working closely together - this is simply about offering more choice to residents about how they charge their car and removing barriers to EV adoption. We're looking forward to seeing lots of residents making the move from petrol/diesel to electric in the months ahead.”
