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English councils urged to install pavement gullies for home charging of electric cars | Transport
Local councils in England will be encouraged to install pavement gullies that link houses to the kerbside so that electric cars owners can charge their cars from home if they do not have a driveway.
The new government scheme hopes to stop cables trailing across pavements, as EV owners in built up areas where off-street parking is scarce, try to charge their cars. The Department for Transport has said it will put £25m towards “cross-pavement” charging – essentially a narrow cable channel with a cover on top.
The government will also allow signs to advertise public chargers on motorways and A-roads, and fund 1,200 charge points for the NHS, including ambulances, as part of a package of measures to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles.
Providing access to chargers is a key factor in encouraging drivers to switch to electric cars, which are far cleaner than petrol and diesel engines. However, charging can be tricky for 9.3m households without an off-street parking space, making them reliant on public chargers.
The government levies VAT on the electricity from public chargers, making it much more attractive to charge using VAT-free home electricity. That has led to many drivers trailing cables from their homes over the pavement to their cars.
The fund for charger gullies, at only £25m, does not represent a large investment for the government. However, if more councils rolled out gullies it could provide tens of thousands of drivers with the ability to charge at home.
Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, said: “We know access to charging is a barrier for people thinking of making the switch, and we are tackling that head-on so that everyone – whether or not they have a driveway – can access the benefits of going electric.”
Many councils have already rolled out cross-pavement charging. For instance, covered gully manufacturer Kerbo Charge counts 30 councils where its products can be installed, from Stirling in Scotland to Cornwall. However, other local authorities have been more cautious because of concerns over trip hazards on pavements and ongoing maintenance costs – as well as arguments over who has the right to park outside each house.
Charger gullies tend to cost a few hundred pounds, with the total cost coming to about £1,000 when including labour. Other sellers include Pavecross and Gul-e.
Michael Goulden, the co-founder of Kerbo Charge, said it was “excellent news that the government recognises the importance of cross-pavement charging to encourage the adoption of charging for people without driveways”.
Having to rely on public charging is a “clear barrier to adoption of EVs” by people in urban areas, with energy from some rapid chargers costing more per mile than petrol, Goulden said.
The change to signage rules has also been welcomed by charging companies, who are keen to increase usage of chargers for topping-up on longer journeys along motorways and A-roads.
Delvin Lane, the chief executive of InstaVolt, a provider of rapid chargers, said it was a “crucial step” to “improve consumer confidence and bolster EV adoption”.
He said: “The UK’s public EV infrastructure, so critical to mass adoption, is already largely in place, and now this signage will finally showcase it to drivers in a visible, accessible way.”
DK Tsai, Chairman of PTI, shares how AI is creating the need for new packaging solutions, and how the business is looking at new countries for expansion, including the US. He speaks exclusively on the sidelines of Semicon Taiwan with Annabelle Droulers on “Bloomberg: The China Show.”
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Silicon Valley tech giants battle for AI dominance, offering huge pay and adopting the 9-9-6 culture in San Francisco startups.
AI Boom, Human Cost: San Francisco Startups Push 9-9-6 Work Schedule
The race for AI heats up, with tech companies in Silicon Valley pouring billions into overpowering others and grabbing the largest pie in the emerging market. Companies have reportedly begun poaching human resources by offering millions of dollars in a pay package. No one wishes to lag behind when things are high at stake. Everyone is ready to pour sweat and blood, literal and metaphorical.
At the center of this heated race, a new culture called 9-9-6 has emerged in the startups of San Francisco, USA.
What Is 9-9-6 Culture?
It means employees of these startups work from 9 in the morning to 9 in the evening, Monday through Saturday. It translates to 72 hours of work weekly, going away from 4 or 5 day work week culture being promoted across Europe, particularly Nordic countries for more leisure time.
An X handle named TBPN in the post said that they checked the receipts and found that the claims are “true” – Saturdays have become a workday. “The great lock-in is in full effect,” it added.
Many San Francisco startups claim they practice 9-9-6, so we checked the receipts.We worked with Ramp to look at the data and it’s true – Saturdays have become a workday.
The great lock-in is in full effect. pic.twitter.com/MbwAICe3Dy
— TBPN (@tbpn) September 8, 2025
AI War Among Tech Titans
Several big tech giants, including Meta, Google, Microsoft and Amazon, have poached the startup founders with a high paycheck to work with their teams building the smartest Large Language Models (LLMs) and improving the hot application-based technology. For instance, Meta shocked the tech industry when it announced to invest a $14.3 billion in data labelling startup Scale AI. As part of the agreement, Meta took a 49% stake in the company, hired its CEO Alexandr Wang to lead a new superintelligence lab and said it would deepen the work it does with Scale.
Since the inception of ChatGPT by OpenAI in late 2020, the official age of AI has begun. Two years after the trailblazing technology, there’s no official winner, but a sudden push to have everything as AI-laced.
A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al…Read More
A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al… Read More
September 10, 2025, 10:22 IST
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Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the landscape of customer service, offering businesses new ways to engage with consumers and streamline operations. From chatbots to predictive analytics, AI-driven solutions are now at the forefront of digital transformation, enabling organisations to deliver faster, more personalised support. As industries adapt, the implications for business models and consumer expectations are profound and far-reaching.
The Expanding Role of AI in Customer Engagement
The integration of AI into customer service has moved well beyond simple automation. Today, intelligent systems can interpret natural language, understand context, and even anticipate customer needs before they arise. This shift allows companies to provide round-the-clock assistance, reduce response times, and resolve issues with greater accuracy. For example, virtual assistants powered by machine learning can handle complex queries, freeing human agents to focus on higher-value interactions. As AI transforms customer interactions, consumers increasingly look for intuitive platforms, a trend also reflected in how users select reliable sports betting sites that offer seamless digital experiences.
How Cross-Industry Adoption Impacts Business
AI-driven customer service is not confined to any single sector. Financial institutions deploy AI to detect fraud and offer tailored product recommendations, while retailers use it to personalise shopping experiences and manage inventory. Healthcare providers leverage AI-powered chatbots to triage patient inquiries and streamline appointment scheduling. This widespread adoption is driving operational efficiencies and enabling businesses to scale support without compromising quality. Many companies in the UK attribute their rapid growth and resilience in 2025 to strategic adoption of AI technologies and innovative business models, as highlighted in an article detailing the UK business success secrets that can inspire emerging enterprises.
Addressing Challenges and Shaping the Future
Despite the clear benefits, integrating AI into customer service presents challenges. Data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the need for transparent decision-making remain top concerns for both businesses and consumers. Companies must invest in robust governance frameworks and continuous training to ensure AI systems are ethical, secure, and aligned with customer expectations. Looking ahead, the evolution of AI will likely see even deeper personalisation, with systems learning from every interaction to refine their responses. As technology matures, organisations that prioritise trust, transparency, and human-centric design will be best positioned to thrive in this new era of customer engagement.
AI as a Catalyst for Transforming Business
The rise of AI in customer service marks a pivotal moment for global business. By embracing intelligent technologies, companies can enhance customer satisfaction, unlock new efficiencies, and gain a competitive edge. The journey is ongoing, and the most successful organisations will be those that balance innovation with responsibility, ensuring that technology serves both business goals and the evolving needs of their customers. As AI continues to advance, its role as a catalyst for transformation across industries is set to grow, offering exciting opportunities for those ready to adapt.
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