EV Charging in Eltham: Council Chargers, Lamp Post Charging and Home Charging Rules
What Royal Greenwich says about electric vehicle charging, how to find chargers, who is installing new on-street points, and the rule against trailing cables across the pavement.
The Royal Borough of Greenwich says to search Zap-Map for EV charging points near you, as existing points are run by private operators. The council has contracted JOLT and Ubitricity to install more, with up to 800 on-street points planned. It cannot provide new charging points on request, and cables across the pavement are not allowed.
If you drive an electric vehicle in Eltham, the Royal Borough of Greenwich's EV charging page is the starting point. Individual charger locations and tariffs change and are run by private operators.
How do I find a charger?
The council says to search Zap-Map for charging points near you. It says existing points are managed by a number of private operators, and that faults should be reported directly to the operator.
What is the council installing?
The council says it has contracted two operators: JOLT, for fast chargers, and Ubitricity, for lamp post charging in residential areas. Its page says the plan is for up to 800 on-street points, plus more than 1,150 bollard charging points approved by the Government's Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), with work scheduled for 2026 to 2027. The council's announcement of the expansion gives the same operators and says the roll-out is borough-wide, with the 1,150-plus additional points funded through the LEVI Fund together with Lewisham.
The council states plainly that it cannot provide new charging points on request, and that locations are chosen to create the broadest network across the borough.
Can I charge at home without a driveway?
The council's page warns that running a cable across the street is not allowed even if you cover or protect it. It runs a cross-pavement charging trial for residents without off-street parking who can park outside their home. The council's news item says the trial was expanded to up to 75 households after more than 160 residents applied, with up to £1,200 of grant funding towards installation, and that suitable applicants are contacted to complete licence agreements and electrical safety and planning checks. When we read the council's EV page, it said places were currently full but you could email ev@royalgreenwich.gov.uk.
What about council homes and private homes?
For council homes the council says to contact the housing team. For private homes it says to check whether you need planning permission.
Where else can I charge?
Council car parks are listed in our parking guide. Check the council's pages or Zap-Map for whether any of them has charge points.
Contact
The council gives ev@royalgreenwich.gov.uk as the contact address for electric vehicle charging.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I find an EV charger in Eltham?
- The council says to search Zap-Map for charging points near you. It says existing points are managed by a number of private operators, and faults should be reported directly to the operator.
- Who is installing new EV chargers in Greenwich?
- The council says it has contracted two operators: JOLT, for fast chargers, and Ubitricity, for lamp post charging in residential areas.
- Can I ask the council for a charger on my street?
- No. The council states plainly that it cannot provide new charging points on request, and that locations are chosen to create the broadest network across the borough.
- Can I run a charging cable across the pavement?
- Not even if you cover or protect it, the council warns. It runs a cross-pavement charging trial for residents without off-street parking, which was expanded to up to 75 households.
- Is there funding for cross-pavement charging?
- The council's news item says the trial offers up to £1,200 of grant funding towards installation. When the EV page was read, it said places were currently full but you could email ev@royalgreenwich.gov.uk.
- What if I live in a council home?
- For council homes the council says to contact the housing team. For private homes it says to check whether you need planning permission.
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