There is no law against running charging cables across a pavement, but local rules vary. Section 178 of the Highways Act 1980 says you cannot run cables over, across or along a pavement or highway without permission from the council responsible for it. Some local councils have opted to allow residents to do so, others view it as a trip hazard and will ask for it to be removed.
The Association of British Insurers says insurance policies also don’t necessarily cover damage to the cable or injuries if someone trips over it. Some specialist providers do offer this, but – if you have to run a cable over the pavement – it’s worth adding a brightly coloured cover to protect it and make it obvious to pedestrians.