Dropped kerbs for vehicle crossover

The Council provides this service on behalf of Hertfordshire County Council and is required to comply with standards and specifications prescribed by them.   The service provided by the Council relates only to vehicle crossovers and not dropped kerbs for pedestrian access.   Requests for dropped kerbs and for pedestrian access should be made directly to Hertfordshire Highways  on 01438 737320.

Only contractors appointed by the County Council are allowed to carry out construction work associated with crossovers.  Such contractors have been vetted to ensure they can achieve the construction standards demanded and that they have the necessary public liability insurance.  Supervision of the work is carried out by staff from the Council’s Engineering Services Unit.

Highways Act 1980

Section 184 of The Highways Act 1980 makes it an offence to drive a vehicle across a footway or verge where there is no proper vehicle crossover. It also allows for the highway authority to arrange for a vehicle crossover to be constructed.

If you drive over the pavement or verge without a crossover, damage may be caused to the surface, the kerb, and any pipes and cables hidden underneath. You could be liable for the entire repair costs.

Other 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 (A, B or C road)
• the property involved is a listed building
• the property involved is other than a house for a single family, e.g. 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 Engineering Services Unit of the Council on 01438 242857.

Alternatively click here to see our Planning Permission information.

Important notice

The construction of a vehicle crossing by the Council does not give the occupier of the premises any particular rights, except to drive across the footway to gain access to his or her property with a private or light goods motor car. The crossing itself is part of the public highway. From the date that the crossing is completed the County Council will assume responsibility for its maintenance at no cost to the occupier, apart from any damage caused by illegal use by heavy vehicles etc.

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 commercial type vans, heavy goods vehicles or mechanical equipment. If a delivery, such as a skip, is made into the property, and the delivery damages the crossing, any repairs will be the responsibility of the occupier.

Size of the crossing

The width of a standard single crossing is 2.44 metres at the back of the public footway, which increases to about 4.58 metres at the kerbline.  Generally, applications involving only a single width crossing per property will be considered.  However, in some cases a wider (up to a double width) crossing may be acceptable if it adds to the overall highway safety of the access arrangements. 

The council will consider such applications provided the applicant shows how a wider crossing will add to the safety of the access arrangement.  Crossings wider than a double width crossing will not be permitted.

Two accesses or crossings at the same property

The general rule is that the more points on the highway where vehicles turn, the more potential for traffic conflict there is. Therefore, applications for two crossovers or access points to a single property, or a second crossover or access point where one already exists, will not normally be approved for domestic dwellings unless there is strong evidence that it will add significantly to highway safety. 

For such applications to be considered, the applicant will need to show

• how a second crossover or access point will add to the safety of the access arrangement
• why such added safety cannot be achieved from a single crossover or access point, or by improving or repositioning an existing one

Parking within your property

Your application will not be approved unless you are able to provide a suitable parking area within your property.  The length of your parking area should be sufficient to prevent a vehicle from overhanging the pavement or highway.  Normally, a five-metre length is required.

The crossing itself may not be used for parking, as this would still be considered as illegal parking on a footway.

Standard finish

The standard finish to crossings is chosen to match the finish of the pavement being crossed.  Normally, this will be either blacktop or concrete. This will be decided by the Council when you apply for an estimate.

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, i.e. lamp post, telegraph pole, traffic sign etc., 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.

Gradient

The slope of a driveway or parking space must not be steeper than 1 in 10 (10%).  Gradients steeper than this can cause serious problems when entering or leaving the property.  If you garden is steeper than 1 in 10 your application will only be approved if you commit to constructing a retaining wall to ensure that the driveway or parking space is no steeper than 1 in 10.  The crossover will only be constructed after you have built the retaining wall.

Position of the access

The position of the proposed access must be a least 15 metres from a road junction otherwise your application will normally be refused.  This is necessary unless your access is from a cul-de-sac.

Your proposed crossover will be refused if it affects the operation of a pedestrian crossing, e.g. within the zigzag lines of the crossing, as this would endanger pedestrians using the crossing.

If there is a parking bay or lay-by at the proposed access point this will normally result in your application being refused.

Your application will be refused if the position of the proposed access causes, or is likly to cause, any other highway safety hazard.

Visability

You must be able to see pedestrians and vehicles well enough when you drive out of the driveway so that you do not cause danger either to yourself or other people using the road and/or footway.

Obstacles to construction

If the proposed position of the access is obstructed by a road sign, lamp post, or tree etc, the location should be altered to avoid the obstacle. If this is not feasible, the Council will determine whether or not it is feasible or desirable for the item to be removed or relocated.

If a statutory authority is required to carry out work by relocating a fire hydrant, telegraph pole etc. any charges for such work will be the responsibility of the applicant.

An applicant who wishes the proposed crossing to be placed in a location other than that recommended by the Council should obtain the Council’s agreement to such re-positioning.  If approval is given and the new position of the crossing requires the relocation of a lamp post or similar item, which would not otherwise be necessary, the applicant will be required to pay the full cost of relocation.

Environmental considerations

Where an application affects any trees, hedges, flowerbeds and/or large grassed areas Engineering Services will seek the comments of the Council’s Streetcare and Planning units.  Even though an application satisfies the highway criteria, the application may still be refused if it is considered that the construction of the crossover would be detrimental to the environment -- particularly if it involves the removal any ancient hedgerow, mature trees or other landscaping feature that is considered valuable to the area.

In respect of an application that is approved but which affects any landscape features, the cost of removing and replanting of any tree, shrub or other landscape feature -- or using alternative construction materials sympathetic to the surroundings (e.g. grasscrete blocks over grassed area) -- will be recharged to the applicant.

Crossing non-highway land

The provisions of the Highways Act 1980 Section 184, which allows for the highway authority to arrange for a vehicle crossover to be constructed on your behalf, applies only to land and the applicant’s property.

In the majority of cases the Council will own this land. In such cases the applicant will need to apply to the Council’s Estates Services unit for an easement giving them the ‘right’ to drive a vehicle over the land between the highway and their property.  The applicant will be required to obtain such an easement and pay all costs involved prior to the construction of the crossover.

In instances where the non-highway land is not owned by the Council, the applicant will be required to provide written evidence that the owner has given the applicant permission to permanently drive over the private land for the purposes of parking within their own property.

Other advice

Applicants are given the following additional advice concerning the construction and use of a domestic vehicle crossing.

• You should provide drainage to any hardstanding within your property. It is unlawful to allow surface water to discharge on the highway
• You should construct your hardstanding from bounce material so as to prevent any loose material from being carried out onto the highway
• You should gain consent from any affected third parties prior to applying for a crossover
• Gates fitted across the vehicle entrance to your property may in no circumstances open outwards across the footpath or carriageway. In some instances gates may need to be set back to allow a vehicle to park in front whilst the gates are being opened.

The purpose of the above advice is to reduce the likelihood of the Council and/or the County Council having to take future enforcement action under any relevant section of the Highway Act 1980.

Payment

The full cost of the work can be spread over 2 years by agreement with the Council’s financial services unit.  If you choose to pay by installments a fee will be charged to cover legal costs. This is currently set at £85.  The fee is payable with the first installment.

What happens next?

Click on the link to complete the dropped kerb / crossover form on-line.

Send your completed application form, with the specified initial survey fee to the Engineering Services unit at the address shown on the application. This initial survey fee is not refundable.

For this fee, staff from the Council’s Engineering Services unit will check the viability of the proposal to make sure the criteria listed under ‘Conditions’ have been met and that there are no other reasons why the application should be refused.  You will then be informed whether you application has been approved and, if so, provided with a written quotation for the construction work.

Engineering Services
Stevenage Borough Council
Daneshill House
Stevenage
Herts
SG1 1HN

Email: engineers@stevenage.gov.uk
Tel: 01438 242295