Applications open for cross-pavement gully EV charging trial
Households in Bristol without off‑street parking can now express their interest in taking part in a citywide trial run by the council, to test a new way to charge an electric vehicle (EV) at home.
Beginning in the summer, the trial will test a ‘cross‑pavement gully’ solution. These are narrow channels installed in the pavement that allow a charging cable to run safely from a home charge point to an EV parked on the street. The household would need to cover the cost of installing the channel, but the council would licence the work on the pavement and organise them.
The aim is to understand whether this approach can make home charging possible without creating trip hazards, obstructing the pavement, or impacting other pavement users.
This trial has been designed to understand how this type of solution could work safely, conveniently, and fairly in Bristol, and to develop a process for any future use of this technology. As this is a controlled trial, residents cannot ask private companies to install these channels, and it does not include a reserved parking space on the public highway.
Councillor Ed Plowden, Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee, said: “With transport making up around 34 per cent of the average Bristol resident’s carbon footprint, and private car use a big part of that, we need to give people more realistic ways to switch to low‑emission vehicles.
“For many households, not having a driveway makes home charging difficult or unsafe. This trial will help us work with residents who are interested in helping us to understand whether cross‑pavement solutions can work well for Bristol and the process for how it could be rolled out. This is all part of our ambition to become carbon neutral and climate resilient as a city.”
Residents interested in taking part in the trial can submit an expression of interest at: Cross-Pavement Gully Charging Trial – Expression of Interest – Bristol City Leap.
The trial will run from August 2026 to June 2027, with gully solutions being installed in batches.
Monitoring and evaluation will feed into a report that will help shape the council’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy.
The project is being delivered by Ameresco as part of the Bristol City Leap partnership with the trail being run by Bristol City Council.
It follows on from the news that Bristol’s EV charging has been boosted by 150 new on-street charge points in upgraded lampposts.
About Bristol City Leap
Bristol City Leap is a pioneering public-private partnership involving Bristol City Council and Ameresco, with a commitment to help bring in investment of over £1 billion in Bristol’s energy infrastructure over the next 20 years.
This transformative initiative aims to significantly boost the use of renewable energy and decarbonised heat across the city, creating a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable environment for all.
In its first five years, Bristol City Leap plans to channel at least £424 million into a range of large-scale infrastructure projects, including the expansion of Bristol’s award-winning heat network.
The initiative also places social value at its core, with plans to generate £61.5 million in social value through job creation, apprenticeships, and community investment, including a £1.5 million Community Energy Fund.
For more information, visit www.bristolcityleap.co.uk.
About Ameresco, Inc.
Founded in 2000, Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC) is a leading energy infrastructure solutions provider dedicated to helping customers reduce costs, enhance resilience, and decarbonize to net zero in the global energy transition.
Its comprehensive portfolio includes implementing smart energy efficiency solutions, upgrading aging infrastructure, and developing, constructing, and operating distributed energy resources.
As a full-service partner, Ameresco shows the way by reducing energy use and delivering energy infrastructure solutions to federal, state and local governments, utilities, data centres, educational and healthcare institutions, housing authorities, and commercial and industrial customers.
Headquartered in Framingham, MA, United States, Ameresco has more than 1,500 employees providing local expertise in North America and Europe.
For more information, visit www.ameresco.com.
