Vehicle access - kerbs
In order to ensure that vehicle crossings are properly
constructed, all domestic vehicle crossings will be built by
contractors approved by the Highways and Engineering Service. They
will deal with the provision of estimates and receive payments
before the work is carried out.
Legal considerations
Planning permission is not usually required for such work, but
will be if:
- The property involved has the frontage directly on to a
classified road.
- The property involved is a listed building.
- The property involved is other than a house for a single
family, for example a Flat, Maisonette, Commercial or
Industrial Premises.
If it appears that your property comes within one of the above
classifications and planning permission is required you should
contact the Development Control service.
If you decide to go ahead with the construction you must remove
the fence, wall or hedge within the property at the place where the
crossing will be located before construction can take place.
Conditions
The following is a list of conditions relevant to the
construction and the use of a domestic vehicle crossing after it
has been completed.
Permitted types of vehicles
A domestic vehicle crossing may only be used by a private light
goods or similar vehicle. It may not be used by heavy goods
vehicles or mechanical equipment. If a delivery, such as a skip, is
made into the property, and in doing so the delivery damages the
crossing, any repairs will be the responsibility of the
occupier.
Size of the crossing
The width of a standard crossing is 2.5 metres at the back of
the public footway. This increases to about 4.7 metres at the
kerbline. Crossings up to twice that width or two separate
crossings may be built where there is sufficient space to leave a
continuous length of two metres of unused space at the kerbline. A
crossing, which covers the full frontage, may not be permitted.
Shared access
Where the occupiers of two adjoining properties share a
driveway, and wish to build a double width crossing to serve the
two sites, one occupier should act on behalf of both parties.
Two crossings at the same property
Where a request is made for two crossings to serve the property
and the space available means that the area between them is at or
close to the minimum limits of two metres in width, a
decision will have to be made as to the shape of the crossing.
Where there is an existing crossing it may mean that this also will
have to be modified.
Parking within your property
Your application will not be approved unless you are able to
provide a suitable parking area within your property, this must be
at least 4.8 metres long, measured from the front of your house to
the boundary of your property and 2.5 metres wide. There must be
enough space around this area for pedestrian access. If the width
of your property is more than 8m these conditions may not
apply.
There may be instances where the above criteria are not met. In
such cases approval may be given, subject to a site inspection by a
Highway Inspector. The Highway Inspectors decision as to whether
the application will be approved or refused is final.
No part of a vehicle parked within your property may project on
to or over the highway. The crossing may not be used as a parking
area and no part of it is exempted for the purpose of footway
parking.
Hardstandings
Where you are intending to use gravel or a similar loose
material for your hardstanding, you should consider the problem of
some being carried on to the highway by the movement of the
vehicle. This is especially true where the surface comes up to the
boundary. Where material of this type is used, concrete or blacktop
should be laid in a 500mm strip from the boundary to the start of
the gravelled area. This will help to reduce any problem. If the
material is carried onto the highway it will be the responsibility
of the occupier to remove it by sweeping and so on.
Drainage
The parking area within your property must be built so that
water does not drain from it across the footway. Suitable drainage
must be provided within the boundaries of your property.
Standard finish
The standard finish to crossings is blacktop.
Where a service strip exists non-standard finish such as
block paving may be permitted. Excessively bright colours or mixed
finishers will not be permitted. If at a later date after
we accept the crossing, reinstatement work or changes in the
road layout take place, they will try their utmost to match the
finish, colour or shape of the blocks, but this cannot be
guaranteed.
Street furniture
Where applicants have removed more of the wall or fence running
along the boundary, than is required by the size of the crossing,
it should be understood that an item of street furniture, this is
lamp post, telegraph pole, traffic sign and so on, may be erected
at any time in the footway outside the area of a crossing, even
though this may obstruct an area where there is no wall or similar
feature.
Obstacles to construction
If the proposed position of the access is obstructed by a road
sign, lamp post, or tree and so on, the location should be
altered to avoid the obstacle. If this is not feasible, a decision
will have to be made by the relevant section as to whether the item
should be removed or relocated.
If a statutory authority is required to carry out work by
relocating a fire hydrant, telegraph pole and so on, any
charges for such work will be the responsibility of the applicant,
who will be required to produce written proof of approval by the
authority to Highways and Engineering before a crossing can be
built.
If an applicant wishes the crossing to be placed in a location
that requires the relocation of a lamp post or similar item they
will be required to pay the full cost of relocation. A seperate
quotation will be given for this aspect of the work.
Alterations to your vehicle crossover
The Council may need to alter the layout of your vehicle
crossover at any time, due to modifications in the footway or
verge. Every effort will be made to maintain access to your
property and the occupier of premises so affected will be given
adequate notice of such works.
Safety
Any application for the construction of a domestic crossing may
be refused or modified on the grounds of safety. The applicant must
ensure that adequate sight lines are maintained to allow safe
access to their property.
Gates across vehicle entrance
Gates fitted across the vehicle entrance to your property may in
no circumstances open outwards across the footpath or carriageway.
( Highways Act 1980 - Section 153)
What happens next?
Contact the Highways and Engineering Department using the
details above. They will check the viability of the proposal and
provide you with a written quotation for the construction or
contact you about any problems with the proposal.