Dropped kerbs for vehicle access

Ownership

Even though the applicant pays for the construction of the vehicular crossing, it will remain part of the highway and the ongoing maintenance will be controlled by us.

Permitted types of vehicles

A domestic vehicular crossing may only be used by private light goods or smaller vehicles. The vehicle is not to exceed two tonnes gross laden weight as damage may occur and the repair costs may be charged to the property owner.

Parking within the property

To prevent damage to the newly constructed vehicle crossing, your driveway or parking area must be created before the vehicular crossing is built, this may require planning permission. Please make sure that any works carried out are safe for people passing by, as the Highways Authority cannot be held liable for accidents on private property.

The property must have hard standing large enough for the whole of the vehicle before the vehicular crossing is constructed and gates should not open out over the footway. Make sure that a crossing can be constructed before you carry out your hard standing construction. Driveways and parking area must be surfaced in a hard or bound material and should be constructed to prevent excessive amounts of water from running into the highway (permeable or gravely drainage is permissible).

You must have enough room on your property for a vehicle to be parked without it overhanging the public highway. This distance will need to be longer if you intend to have gates as these must open inwards into your property.

Walls and fencing

You should remove walls or fencing before the crossing is built. If you do not, you will be responsible for supporting the footway and for the cost of repairing any damage. Our engineer will assume that the level of the footway at the boundary between the pavement and your property will not alter. Fixed features need to prevent access over the unstrengthened part of the footway. Gates fitted across the vehicle entrance to your property may not, in any circumstances, open outwards across the footpath or carriageway. (As required by the Highways Act 1980 – Section 153)

Standard finish

The standard finish to crossings is blacktop.

Alterations to a crossing

If a vehicle is grounding on an existing domestic pavement crossing, the Council will alter the profile of the crossing on request, subject to full reimbursement of costs by the householder.
In exceptional circumstances where it is proven the grounding is caused by recent Council works to the road or pavement, the Council will investigate and consider if it is appropriate to carry out remedial works to alleviate the grounding without cost to the householder (including accommodation works on private land if necessary, with the permission of the landowner).