Last month saw record-high sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in the UK as demand continues to soar.

It's no wonder when EVs are smooth to drive, have zero exhaust emissions, and are far cheaper to maintain than petrol and diesel cars. Just as importantly, the price of EVs is falling, with more affordable new models, government grants, and a growing supply of second-hand vehicles; and at the same time the network of national rapid chargers is expanding fast, helping to allay worries about range.

But one challenge has remained, especially in areas with Edwardian and Victorian housing such as Haringey: a lack of off-street parking facilities to charge vehicles.

Those fortunate enough to have off-street parking can already charge their cars at home for as little as 2p per mile using off-peak tariffs, or even for free if they have solar panels. But those who park on the street have to use public chargers, with prices up to 10 times more than the domestic tariff.

Running a car entirely from public EV chargers can actually be more expensive than buying petrol or diesel!

Cllr Luke Cawley-Harrison has been campaigning for electric vehicle charging gullies(Image: D Tothill2018)

That's why the rollout of 'charging gullies' is such good news. These simple covered pavement channels allow a cable to run safely from a home charger without creating a trip hazard.

Haringey Liberal Democrats have been calling for the council to introduce this infrastructure - with costs fully covered by the applicant, so there is no financial burden to the taxpayer - for a significant length of time, however Haringey Labour have repeatedly voted down our proposals.

We are therefore very pleased to see they have finally U-turned and announced a charging gulley pilot scheme.

It's early days, but this could finally make EV ownership accessible for thousands of local residents, dramatically improving our local air quality.

This is a great example of how simple solutions can resolve the problems new technologies face when being implemented into historical towns and cities, bringing local economic and environmental benefits at the same time.

It is frustrating that Haringey Labour's culture of refusal to accept any proposals from others means we so frequently lag behind other councils on trying new ideas - and very clearly after over 50 years of Labour running Haringey we need a change.

But in the meantime, as the opposition party in Haringey, the Liberal Democrats will continue to promote innovation to reduce the cost of living and protect the environment.