Could on-street EV charging work for you? Burton residents invited to have their say

For many people in Burton, owning an electric vehicle can feel like a challenge if you don't have a driveway.

While charging at home is often the cheapest and most convenient option, thousands of homes across Burton rely on on-street parking, making it much harder for residents to make the switch to electric.

Now Staffordshire County Council is exploring a potential solution and wants to hear from people who could benefit.

A new survey has been launched to gauge interest in a scheme that could help residents charge electric vehicles from their homes, even when their cars are parked on the street outside.

The idea centres around what's known as an EV gully – a narrow channel built into the pavement that allows a charging cable to run safely between a home's charging point and a vehicle parked at the kerb. By keeping cables out of the way, the system avoids creating trip hazards while allowing residents to take advantage of cheaper home electricity tariffs rather than relying on more expensive public charging points.

The council says funding secured through the Government's Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund could potentially help support the installation of these solutions for eligible households.

For Burton residents who regularly park on the street and have considered buying an electric vehicle, this could be an opportunity to influence how the scheme develops.

The survey will help the council understand where demand exists across Staffordshire, how residents currently travel, and how people might use electric vehicle charging in the future. The feedback will also help shape decisions about how any future scheme is designed and funded.

Andrew Mynors, Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Connectivity, said:

"While there is growing electric vehicle ownership nationally, we understand that many residents do not have off-street parking. The solution being proposed could deliver affordable charging options, utilising funding already secured by the county council and at no extra cost to us.

"As a county council we want to ease cost of living pressures and ensure people have the best transport option available to them for employment, leisure or independent living.

"We have reviewed how we can help provide charging infrastructure in a way that benefits the people who need it most whilst keeping disruption to communities at a minimum during installation.

"We'd now urge people to complete the survey so that we can get this right for residents."

If you live in Burton or elsewhere in East Staffordshire and think an on-street charging solution could help you now or in the future, it's worth taking a few minutes to complete the survey. Even if you don't currently own an electric vehicle, the council wants to understand future demand as more drivers consider making the switch.

The survey is open until Sunday 26 July and can be found by Clicking Here.