The idea of installing channels under pavements to allow residents to run cables from their homes to charge electric cars is being investigated by the Council.

The move is designed to combat complaints about electric car owners running cables across pavements, which can be a hazard.

A number of residents have posted images on social media of electric car cables making life difficult for pedestrians, parents pushing buggies and the disabled.

The proposals have been unveiled by Council chiefs as part of a major initiative to boost electric car charging points amid a boom in sales of battery electric vehicles across Richmond borough.

The Department for Transport shows that 2,322 plug-in vehicles were registered in Richmond between July and September last year- up from 1,470 and 988 in the same quarter in the previous two years.

The Lib-Dems are making efforts to improve charging points and the take up of electric vehicles one of the major policies initiatives ahead of the local elections in May.

One benefit of using a cable attached to a home supply is that the power is generally cheaper than if purchased from the commercial charging points.

However, the idea of offering under pavement channels still throws up some questions and conflicts. Electric car owners will want to nab a parking space directly outside their property to make this work for them.

At the same time, most household electricity supplies are only suitable for a slow charging rate. Installing fast chargers can require older properties to have new electricity cables, circuit boards and 100 amp fuses installed.

Chairman of the Council's Transport and Environment Committee, Alexander Ehmann, said: "Richmond Borough Council is at the vanguard of council's providing facilities to support EV adoption. We already have the highest number of EV charge points of any Outer London borough and good levels of EV adoption.

"Plans are afoot for further EV infrastructure deployment, but for that we need to diversify our providers and resident options. Not least, to widen technical and energy price resilience, as well as accelerating roll out.

"The balance here is important because we want to facilitate and encourage EV adoption by residents, but we don't want to become an EV charging destination for out-of-borough drivers - with the adverse air quality, congestion and road safety issues that would bring."

He added: "One of the most exciting things the Transport Committee agreed last night, was to trial EV cable channels that would safely run under pavements.

"This really could provide a useful tool to many who don't have off-street parking, but wish to charge an EV using their energy provider."

Some local campaigners would prefer the Council to prioritise pedestrians and cycling rather than any form of cars.

However, Cllr Ehmann said: "Supporting transition to EVs is not and never has been a 'silver-bullet' to the various transport challenges we face in Richmond.

"Having said that we have a responsibility to support adoption of cleaner vehicles wherever possible. EV infrastructure is a clear enabler of such change."

The Council has had over 1,400 requests to install lamp post charging points and it has unveiled plans for another 140 at this stage.

This will bring the total number of charge points to 431 – of which 348 will be on lamp posts. A number of others are provided by private firms, such as supermarkets.

Councillors will look at reserving some bays next to lamp post charging points for electric cars, so requiring petrol and diesels to find other spaces.

Separately, the Council is planning to introduce 100 further fast chargers in 2022/23, which are provided by Source London and others. There are also hopes to set up a rapid charge hub – a petrol station style location for electric vehicles in partnership with Transport for London.