Progress on Home Electric Vehicle Charging in Bristol – you asked, we listened.
As part of Bristol’s drive to become carbon neutral, the council is making it easier to charge electric vehicles (EVs) at home. At the July Transport and Connectivity Committee, a pilot scheme for cross-channel charging – running a cable safely from house to kerbside car – was announced, with rollout expected in January 2026. Applications are first-come, first-served, with priority for disabled drivers.
Home charging is cheaper and more convenient than public chargers, making EVs more appealing. Challenges include planning approval, installation fees, maintenance, pedestrian safety, vandalism, and potential neighbour disputes in high-demand areas like Clifton.
Local Green councillors were pleased to be able to influence the policy review and will monitor the pilot. If successful, it could make EV ownership more practical and affordable, helping Bristol meet its climate goals.
Cleaner end to the academic year
If you’ve lived in Bristol a while, you’ll remember the annual sight at the end of June: student houses emptying for the summer, pavements piled high with black bags, broken furniture – and, occasionally, surprisingly good household goods – all abandoned as term ended.
Well, this year was different. In fact, I didn’t see a single pile.
Credit where it is due: both our universities and Bristol Waste Company (BWC) have worked hard to change this pattern. Their sustained efforts to inform and educate students are clearly paying off. The BWC outreach team spoke individually to thousands of students in the run-up to moving day, explaining the simple hierarchy for clearing out unwanted belongings: reuse, recycle, or dispose appropriately.
It wasn’t just words – the team backed it up with action. Large collection containers were provided for items like bedding and kitchenware, ensuring they could be passed on for reuse rather than ending up in landfill. Many students took advantage of these facilities, and the results were obvious: cleaner streets, less waste, and a far more pleasant environment for everyone.
It’s a small but heartening example of how awareness, practical solutions, and community cooperation can make a real difference. Let’s hope this year’s success becomes the new normal for summers in Bristol.
Building trust and listening to citizens
The Green administration is committed to improving trust in politics and engaging meaningfully with residents. Paula led Bristol’s 2021 Citizens’ Assembly, championing deliberative democracy. One key recommendation from that assembly was to remove 3–5% of parking spaces each year, replacing them with areas for leisure and active travel. Knowing this reflected the views of a randomly selected, representative group gave Clifton councillors the confidence to proceed with changes in Princess Victoria Street, despite opposition from a vocal minority.
Large citizens’ assemblies are expensive, so we’re exploring new, tech-based ways to involve people. Meanwhile, the new committee system offers more openness: eight policy committees meet in an informal public setting where residents can ask questions, make statements, and influence decisions.
Check the council website for meeting dates — if you see something that matters to you, go along and have your say.
Downs vehicle dwelling update
Bristol City Council has successfully applied for a court injunction to prevent any vehicle encampments on the grassed areas of the Downs. This injunction runs until 8th August 2026. This will allow the Council to quickly remove any vehicle dwelling encampments on the grassed area of the Downs until that date. Problems could still occur after that time and it does not address the vehicles and caravans parked on the roadside. But for a good period of time it will address some of the most anti social behaviours that we have recently experienced. Paula and Jerome will continue working to ensure that there are agreed long term approaches for the most concerning elements of vehicle dwelling and encampments on and around the Downs.
Contact us
Jerome Thomas: cllr.jerome.thomas@bristol.gov.uk
Paula O’Rourke: cllr.paula.orourke@bristol.gov.uk