Forum Topic

EV Lamp-post charging

Hounslow have plans to roll out a large number of on-street charging points utilising existing lamp-posts. You can find lists of proposed locations here.https://bit.ly/evhounslow

Bruce Hammal ● 5d29 Comments

If you don't have a driveway for home charging, maybe they should look at residents only parking after say 8pm so you could park.

Janice Evans ●

>Thanks, Paul for ignoring what's happening in other London boroughs. Odd, but then again, to be expected from you.Odd, that some councils ahve decided across pavement charging is a bad idea (which it is, for many reasons) and don't allow it/aren't implmenting it in lieu of other more suitable charging options?>Not talking about phones, I'm not talking about phoens either, I'm talking about rechargable batteries.>Paul. But what the public wants and what the industry is headed toward.The public wants fast AND slow chargers. Fast when yuou need a fast charge, but ideally slow to preserve battery life.>As for the horses, I'm guessing it's the meds.I see horses on the road most days in London, I ride past two stables and past buckingham palace.>I'm guessing it's the meds. Odd, but then again, to be expected from you.Why so nasty David?

Paul James ●

Many supermarkets have them now but you cannot use them overnight andnot sure if the parking limit applies if charging battery during the day.

Janice Evans ●

"Well, there is in many case in london, as you're not allowed to have cables across the pavement"Thanks, Paul for ignoring what's happening in other London boroughs. Odd, but then again, to be expected from you. Not talking about phones, Paul. But what the public wants and what the industry is headed toward.As for the horses, I'm guessing it's the meds.

David Lesniak ● 58m

How useful it could be would very much depend on how someone uses their car.If you need to charge your vehicle every day then it wouldn't work very well, you are not going to be able to rely on using your charging facilities a lot of the time.For someone who uses their car infrequently/or works from home then it might work (unless you find that other cars regularly park in your road and don't move for days or weeks on end!).Yes, you would need to ensure all cables are safe and that electrical protection is mandatory - that would almost certainly mean cables wouldn't be left in situ, but only be present when connected to a vehicle.

Andrew Jones ● 12h

For Chiswick residents who are council tax payers in Ealing, our lovely council pulled out of the testing for channels in the pavement. Barstewards

Peter King ● 15h

Also, I saw a cross pavement charging installation in a photo a while back, it looked REALLY DANGEROUS with exposed cable both ends, not the wires, just the sheath, but if you have exposed cable ion the street Idon't think it's going to be long before you see the actual wires, it wouldn't take much. It would require regular inspection, all sorts of trips and breakers etc...

Paul James ● 19h

>I feel strongly that Hounslow Council should investigate cross pavement charging. At a time our Road is expecting replacement paving there is the opportunity to install gullies that will enable residents to charge their vehicle parked outside their house at domestic rates.I can't imagine this ever working. The idea of getting the same parking space outside your own house everyday on most london streets is ridiculous surely?

Paul James ● 19h

I feel strongly that Hounslow Council should investigate cross pavement charging. At a time our Road is expecting replacement paving there is the opportunity to install gullies that will enable residents to charge their vehicle parked outside their house at domestic rates. This is already a recommended practice for London Councils and is happening in other boroughs. https://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/news-and-press-releases/2025/electric-vehicle-revolution-hits-pavement-new-guidance-tackles-trip#:~:text=While%2090%25%20of%20EV%20users,with%20Kerbo%20Charge%20in%202024.Cross-pavement charging solutions can offer a practical fix. Using either a surface 'gully' or a system buried under the pavement, they allow charging cables from a home charge point to safely cross the pavement to an EV parked on the street.These installations are quick—typically completed within 1.5 to 3 hours—and blend into existing street materials to maintain safe pedestrian access.

Tony Bowden ● 20h

"Who want's to stop an spend multiple hours on the side of a road waiting for a charge?"Can't imagine anyone particularly wants to, and I can't imagine anyone does wait multiple hours, twiddling their thumbs. But, in a street where there in no off street parking ( like the section of my road where I live) there would be little point in someone installing their own private charging facility because a lot of the time you'll likely find someone parked on the road near your private charging facility, so you won't be able to use it.Would it be better to have 5 slow lamp post chargers or one fast charger in my road? In my road I reckon 5 slow lamp post chargers would be more useful to more people.There is currently a need for both types in my book, but it's a lot more difficult and expensive to install fast chargers on local roads ( and I think the kWh price of a publicably available fast charger reflects the increased costs as well as the convenience factor of faster charging  times)

Andrew Jones ● 1d

>Of course, Paul, there is nothing preventing a homeowner from installing whichever charging method they wish.Well, there is in many case in london, as you're not allowed to have cables across the pavement.>Begs the question why, then, do the public want speedy charging? Why is it a problem when planning a long distance journey? Who want's to stop an spend multiple hours on the side of a road waiting for a charge? Why did BO just completely overhaul a station on the A4 to fast charges? To name a few.Fast chargers are needed too. I actually have both for my phone, overnight I leave it on a wireless trickle, but if I need to charge it quickly I've got a change mode that will do it in 3/4 of an hour.>But thanks for the info about horses. Can't say I've run across any on the local roads, but you do you.I see horses on the roads ALL the the time, practically every day.

Paul James ● 1d

Of course, Paul, there is nothing preventing a homeowner from installing whichever charging method they wish.Begs the question why, then, do the public want speedy charging? Why is it a problem when planning a long distance journey? Who want's to stop an spend multiple hours on the side of a road waiting for a charge? Why did BO just completely overhaul a station on the A4 to fast charges? To name a few.But thanks for the info about horses. Can't say I've run across any on the local roads, but you do you.

David Lesniak ● 1d

>I think a better solution that requires nothing from the council is enabling residents to install charge points. Rather than, say, one on a road, in some areas you'd probably get at least a dozen or so cars now being able to re-charge more efficiently/effectively.Why slow charging is healthierSlow (AC) charging uses lower current, which means:- Less heat is generated, and heat is one of the biggest drivers of battery wear.- Gentler charging cycles reduce stress on the battery’s chemistry.- Lower overcharge risk, because the onboard charger can more precisely manage the final top‑off.This is why EV manufacturers and battery experts consistently recommend AC charging for routine use.

Paul James ● 1d

Thanks David.

Andrew Jones ● 1d

Andrew, the issue isn't the where. It's the how.There was a recent council initiative to adopt crossing the pavements safely with cables plugged in to a charge point mounted on a private residence. This required the installation of a channel flush with the pavement to bury the cable during a charge. All, I believe, at the homeowner's expense.  Parking wouldn't need to be restricted. And I'd like to think that your neighbors know who you are and would happily accommodate your parking to charge if need be. Granted this would work best on a street with mostly private residences. On my street we know who's car is whose and everyone falls into a defacto system of sorts.Meanwhile, if we join up the thinking, take a look at the pavements. They're often in dire need of repair. So if the council replaced paving stones and installed proper protected conduits it would be a win/win. A better investment of public funds in my opinion than spending anything on woefully inadequate lamppost chargers. The problem with the current proposal for installing conduits/raceways is there seems to be no ability for quality control of the works needed to install. That's just a liability disaster waiting to happen.Of course you also could install charge points in parking new parking facilities. The entire structure could be a charge center. Did that happen in Brentford? Probably not. So that's nine stories of parking without the ability to charge (of course Guy Lambert can weigh in with details - as a Green candidate he approved that parking facility). Did that happen in Hammersmith? Yes. Could it happen in Chiswick? Yes. If you require developers to provide bike racks, no reason you can't require developers who provide parking to install charge points.It would require ironing out how to keep them operational. The facility in Hammersmith stopped providing the service about the time there was a spike in electricity rates. There are very few points that remain useable. A huge loss of perfectly viable infrastructure.

David Lesniak ● 1d

David, I didn't say more wasn't better, I was simply trying to find out a bit more about what your "better solution" entailed.I asked:Would the resident installed charge points be installed on private land or on the (public) pavement or road? My assumption was that it would be on private land, but I'm not a mind reader so have no idea whether that's what you had in mind. I also asked:Would parking within reach of the charge points be restricted to the residents that installed the charge points?Simple questions, that should be easy for you to answer.What I read on Hounslow online site is that planning permission isn't needed if the charge point is more than 2m away from a public highway, and it can't be more than a certain size to be allowed under permitted development.If you don't want to answer some simple questions just say so.

Andrew Jones ● 2d

Of course, Andrew, you could always just research the options yourself. Councils are very much aware of them.In this instance, more is better. But you always seem to be satisfied with the bare minimum.

David Lesniak ● 2d

How would your better solution work David?Would the resident installed charge points be installed on private land or on the (public) pavement or road? Would parking within reach of the charge points be restricted to the residents that installed the charge points?

Andrew Jones ● 2d

Odd, then, Jeremy, you also read how major car companies are abandoning their EV efforts after having spent billions of (choose your currency). I think a better solution that requires nothing from the council is enabling residents to install charge points. Rather than, say, one on a road, in some areas you'd probably get at least a dozen or so cars now being able to re-charge more efficiently/effectively.Again, I see no point in facilitating something that seems increasingly obsolete. Why spend on something so slow ineffective? Interesting to see the box ticking going on. Even the press weren't alerted to this consultation. Really, on 28th March suddenly the press finds out about something with a deadline on 30th March? At the beginning of half term?Rotten. Labour. Again.

David Lesniak ● 2d

What is the kWh price on a ‘fast charger’ compared to a lamp post charger?

Andrew Jones ● 2d

David, despite what you may read in the press (the right wing press are hilariously biased against EVs), EVs sales are rising year on year both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of all new car sales.  In 2025 473,384 new EVs were sold in the UK which was a 23.4% market share.It would not surprise me if by the end of this year EV sales were 30% of the new car market particularly if petrol prices stay as high as they are now.Of course EV will not be for everyone's needs and it definitely helps a lot to have home charging, especially combined with solar power generation at home.  But it does seem reasonable to me that the Council roll out more lamp post charging for those who do not have off street car parking

Justin Stephenson ● 2d

https://www.electriccarscheme.com/blog/used-electric-car-prices-are-falling-fastIt's better than running a cable through a tree and up to a window as I've seen.  Or just having to keep it plugged in for hours and hours.

Philippa Bond ● 2d

Agreed, Sam.I'm guessing Philippa has never charged a car at any of the available types of chargers. Once she has, she'd be able to comment more effectively and actually compare/contrast the differences. I'm wondering if there are to be so many of them, will there be a need to dedicate parking spaces or just not bother?Because it seems odd to me if e-vehicle sales are falling and/or constantly fluctuating, why would a council dedicate space to one sole purpose?

David Lesniak ● 3d

Will everyone be allowed to use them, sometimes they are just for residents of the area they are in.

Janice Evans ● 3d

Hence my last sentence!  But how much better and faster are the others at being fixed when out of order - and showing on an app that they are out of order now so you don't find out when you get there?  They won't be as fast as a special fast charger elsewhere - because like everything tech it changes and usually improves and speed of charging is an important aspect for many - until they are faced with having to slow down for the sake of their health and everyone else's.

Philippa Bond ● 3d

The power supply to lamp posts is quite simply not adequate for rapid recharging. In addition the technology used had proved unreliable with a significant number of such charge points being "out of order".

Sam Hearn ● 3d

Isn't a mix necessary?  It took an awful long time to see electric chargers added to "petrol stations".  Nobody wants to be searching for fuel stations for whatever kind and it should help to reduce the number of cables trailed across pavements.  It will make it easier for residents and their visitors whether friends, carers, health visitors and repair people to top up.  The increasing use of mobile phone apps will help people to find them reducing anxiety and the knowledge of whether they are working and available.  I just hope there is a robust system for reporting and swiftly dealing with any that don't work wherever they are!

Philippa Bond ● 3d

Meanwhile, there's a consultation.Hounslow Cabinet didn't even let local councillors know about it. https://talk.hounslow.gov.uk/ev-charging-pointsDeadline 30 MarchLamp-post charging is pointless. Dedicated chargers much better at getting the job done.

David Lesniak ● 4d

Thanks for posting this as a lot of people wouldn't know about these plans I became aware through my street's Whatsapp group and a friend was aware through their Resident's Association.  Not everyone has that source of information.

Helen Whitman ● 4d