England lawmakers just implemented a new driveway rule for every home
Rhianna Benson
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Homeowners across England will now have to abide by an environmentally friendly new rule that'll expand what they can do with their driveways.
As of today (3 June), planning permission will no longer be required for a driver to install an electric vehicle charging point on their driveway.
The relaxed legislation was put into place by the UK's Department for Transport, extending to workplaces and public streets, as well as residential properties. It's part of an initiative brought into place last year, after lawmakers appealed for the removal of obstacles standing in the way of slowly expanding the environmentally-friendly regime.
Before now, homeowners, landlords and business leaders had to apply for planning permission from local councils to install e-charging points, with applications taking over nine months to approve.
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Proponents of the plan argued, however, that more lenient laws needed to be implemented to persuade more drivers to switch from engine cars - which are notoriously energy inefficient, severely impact the environment and require high maintenance - to electric vehicles.
E-vehicles operate by using a large battery pack to store electricity, which powers an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. When you press the accelerator, electricity flows to the motor to spin the wheels, providing smooth acceleration while producing zero tailpipe emissions.
The government also have a target of rolling out 300,000 public EV chargers by 2030 - the same year they've also pledged to ban the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles, according to a December 2024 National Audit Office report.
Of the latest move towards that phase, Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood, told press: "We're cutting down on paperwork to power up the EV revolution so that drivers, businesses and those looking to make the switch will have more chargepoints to power from and less red tape to deal with."
"We continue to make the switch to EVs easier, cheaper and better by investing over £2.3 billion to support drivers and back British carmakers through international trade deals, creating jobs, boosting investment and securing our future."
It's a change that industry experts have seemingly welcomed with open arms.
Lewis Gardiner from Osprey Charging Network described the latest relaxing of the rules as a ' hugely welcome and practical change that will make a real difference on the ground'.
He added: "Removing the need for planning permission for essential electrical infrastructure like substations across the majority of sites will save months of delays, reduce costs and accelerate the delivery of the rapid charging hubs drivers need."
Pointing out that more work still needs to be done, Rod Dennis of the RAC (Royal Automobile Club) emphasised the 'relatively high cost of public charging', describing it as something that 'still needs to be tackled'.