Drop kerb extension needed?
Discussion
pits said:
Cheers all, I have done some more research and nosed around the street and it does seem that no one has extended the drop kerb for the double drive.
As for the planning, yes it does appear I was wrong I read the wrong SQM which our local council allows up to 5sqm, and I am way over that, so I have gone for option 2 which will be scalpings and stone dust, whacker, membrane and stones, retaining the permeable surface and should be perfect for parking car on then.
Budget isn't that tight, I just know how much a drop kerb roughly costs and it is something I would rather not spend with a kitchen and bathroom next on the list.
Thanks for all the help though, hoping to have it mostly done by Sunday.
Hi Pitts,As for the planning, yes it does appear I was wrong I read the wrong SQM which our local council allows up to 5sqm, and I am way over that, so I have gone for option 2 which will be scalpings and stone dust, whacker, membrane and stones, retaining the permeable surface and should be perfect for parking car on then.
Budget isn't that tight, I just know how much a drop kerb roughly costs and it is something I would rather not spend with a kitchen and bathroom next on the list.
Thanks for all the help though, hoping to have it mostly done by Sunday.
If I may be bold to suggest that where you think the car tyres will roll over your new parking area, that you dig a wee bit deeper, and chuck in extra scalping's and really pack down hard so over time you don't get such a pronounced dip in the drive. I did this for my last driveway and it worked a treat
Majorslow said:
pits said:
Cheers all, I have done some more research and nosed around the street and it does seem that no one has extended the drop kerb for the double drive.
As for the planning, yes it does appear I was wrong I read the wrong SQM which our local council allows up to 5sqm, and I am way over that, so I have gone for option 2 which will be scalpings and stone dust, whacker, membrane and stones, retaining the permeable surface and should be perfect for parking car on then.
Budget isn't that tight, I just know how much a drop kerb roughly costs and it is something I would rather not spend with a kitchen and bathroom next on the list.
Thanks for all the help though, hoping to have it mostly done by Sunday.
Hi Pitts,As for the planning, yes it does appear I was wrong I read the wrong SQM which our local council allows up to 5sqm, and I am way over that, so I have gone for option 2 which will be scalpings and stone dust, whacker, membrane and stones, retaining the permeable surface and should be perfect for parking car on then.
Budget isn't that tight, I just know how much a drop kerb roughly costs and it is something I would rather not spend with a kitchen and bathroom next on the list.
Thanks for all the help though, hoping to have it mostly done by Sunday.
If I may be bold to suggest that where you think the car tyres will roll over your new parking area, that you dig a wee bit deeper, and chuck in extra scalping's and really pack down hard so over time you don't get such a pronounced dip in the drive. I did this for my last driveway and it worked a treat
Hopefully it stops the frigging cat crapping everywhere as well, and hopefully none of the neighbours complain, but it anyone did then the whole crescent would end up being drop kerb
Worth bearing in mind if you widen the dropped kerb you will become the driveway of choice for anyone who wants to do a 3 point turn.
My dropped kerb is standard width but the gap in the wall is wider, people just take the piss and have still managed to knock the edge of the wall down.
My dropped kerb is standard width but the gap in the wall is wider, people just take the piss and have still managed to knock the edge of the wall down.
I am getting mine tarmacced next week, it is permeable - the council confirmed that no planning permission was required because of the material choice.
They directed my to the planning portal where the guidance is very clear cut and the builder should be able to confirm conformity.
As for the kerb as people have pointed out you cant drive across the pavement without one, but i don't think it is clear cut whether that includes driving diagonally.
I cant see that being an issue though as its unrelated to the surface of your driveway and it's clear you already have access, unless someone shops you in for doing so.
They directed my to the planning portal where the guidance is very clear cut and the builder should be able to confirm conformity.
As for the kerb as people have pointed out you cant drive across the pavement without one, but i don't think it is clear cut whether that includes driving diagonally.
I cant see that being an issue though as its unrelated to the surface of your driveway and it's clear you already have access, unless someone shops you in for doing so.
Depends entirely on the council. Here (SW London) - not a cat's chance in hell. The council will do anything in their power (and some things not in their power / bend the rules) to make owning and using a car as difficult as possible. They don't like dropped kerbs here because (i) takes away on street parking (even though it doesn't, because the car that occupies the on street space is now off the street!), (ii) makes a new hazard for cycles etc due to crossing traffic (even though it doesn't, because you've removed the car-dooring hazard at the same time), (iii) increased risk of pedestrian injury (even though for example 4 pedestrian injuries in 2 years prior to one application I looked at, only 1 of which involved crossing traffic). The stipulations and standards they apply to the new crossover / hard standing are ridiculous:
1) car must be able to enter and leave in a forward gear
2) hardstanding must be at least 8 m x 10 m because of (1)
3) permeable or slanted into a soak away or other
4) materials in keeping with area (specified: york stone e.g.)
5) sheltered from street e.g. by planting beds - you can't just block pave it and leave it at that
6) pedestrian access to house separate from drive
7) with at least 1 m clearance for doors etc
8) New crossover not within 4 diameters of the maximum growth of any nearby trees (trees get quite big)
9) New crossover never within 15 m of a bus stop
10) Gated preferably
11) not if there are utilities requiring alteration
12) Never on a classified road, unless extreme extenuating circumstances - e.g. you're Stephen Hawking or related to a councillor or a purveyor of brown envelopes
You always need consent, it costs £250 for the application and £2400 for the work if approved, of which they freely admit £800 is a non refundable 'admin fee'.
Worth checking your local authority's Supplementary Planning Document if your council is any sort of cycling / active travel crusaders. But from the sounds of it you're not, so good luck.
Mine, however, are a bunch of s.
1) car must be able to enter and leave in a forward gear
2) hardstanding must be at least 8 m x 10 m because of (1)
3) permeable or slanted into a soak away or other
4) materials in keeping with area (specified: york stone e.g.)
5) sheltered from street e.g. by planting beds - you can't just block pave it and leave it at that
6) pedestrian access to house separate from drive
7) with at least 1 m clearance for doors etc
8) New crossover not within 4 diameters of the maximum growth of any nearby trees (trees get quite big)
9) New crossover never within 15 m of a bus stop
10) Gated preferably
11) not if there are utilities requiring alteration
12) Never on a classified road, unless extreme extenuating circumstances - e.g. you're Stephen Hawking or related to a councillor or a purveyor of brown envelopes
You always need consent, it costs £250 for the application and £2400 for the work if approved, of which they freely admit £800 is a non refundable 'admin fee'.
Worth checking your local authority's Supplementary Planning Document if your council is any sort of cycling / active travel crusaders. But from the sounds of it you're not, so good luck.
Mine, however, are a bunch of s.
2gins said:
Depends entirely on the council. Here (SW London) - not a cat's chance in hell. The council will do anything in their power (and some things not in their power / bend the rules) to make owning and using a car as difficult as possible. They don't like dropped kerbs here because
2gins said:
(i) takes away on street parking (even though it doesn't, because the car that occupies the on street space is now off the street!),
It prevents a public parking space becoming a private parking space, seems fair enough?2gins said:
(ii) makes a new hazard for cycles etc due to crossing traffic (even though it doesn't, because you've removed the car-dooring hazard at the same time),
Seems fair enough, swapping one risk for another why bother, I bet more cyclists get taken out by turning vehicles than doored 2gins said:
(iii) increased risk of pedestrian injury (even though for example 4 pedestrian injuries in 2 years prior to one application I looked at, only 1 of which involved crossing traffic).
So 25% of incidents?It's obviously an increased risk if you have cars driving over the pavement, you just don't want to see it?
2gins said:
The stipulations and standards they apply to the new crossover / hard standing are ridiculous:
You mean similar to a tradesmen offering a ridiculous price/set of T&Cs to avoid having to do the job. 2gins said:
Mine, however, are a bunch of s.
Seems like there's a selfish one right there because they bought an inappropriate house and can't get their own way ?RE the taking up of spaces on the road, it does have an impact.
I lived in a flat, parked on the road as everyone else did, neighbour fitted (without permission which you need on flats) a driveway for their two big cars.
The drop kerb was 2+ cars wide, so you could argue no parking was lost - However it was, because when that driveway was empty, there was no longer an element of first come first served, two spaces were essentially reserved. It was like their two cars were parked permanently on the road.
So I do get that point,
I lived in a flat, parked on the road as everyone else did, neighbour fitted (without permission which you need on flats) a driveway for their two big cars.
The drop kerb was 2+ cars wide, so you could argue no parking was lost - However it was, because when that driveway was empty, there was no longer an element of first come first served, two spaces were essentially reserved. It was like their two cars were parked permanently on the road.
So I do get that point,
speedyguy said:
2gins said:
Depends entirely on the council. Here (SW London) - not a cat's chance in hell. The council will do anything in their power (and some things not in their power / bend the rules) to make owning and using a car as difficult as possible. They don't like dropped kerbs here because
2gins said:
(i) takes away on street parking (even though it doesn't, because the car that occupies the on street space is now off the street!),
It prevents a public parking space becoming a private parking space, seems fair enough?2gins said:
(ii) makes a new hazard for cycles etc due to crossing traffic (even though it doesn't, because you've removed the car-dooring hazard at the same time),
Seems fair enough, swapping one risk for another why bother, I bet more cyclists get taken out by turning vehicles than doored 2gins said:
(iii) increased risk of pedestrian injury (even though for example 4 pedestrian injuries in 2 years prior to one application I looked at, only 1 of which involved crossing traffic).
So 25% of incidents?It's obviously an increased risk if you have cars driving over the pavement, you just don't want to see it?
2gins said:
The stipulations and standards they apply to the new crossover / hard standing are ridiculous:
You mean similar to a tradesmen offering a ridiculous price/set of T&Cs to avoid having to do the job. 2gins said:
Mine, however, are a bunch of s.
Seems like there's a selfish one right there because they bought an inappropriate house and can't get their own way ?No beef with cycles here, I am one of them most of the time.
2gins said:
speedyguy said:
2gins said:
Depends entirely on the council. Here (SW London) - not a cat's chance in hell. The council will do anything in their power (and some things not in their power / bend the rules) to make owning and using a car as difficult as possible. They don't like dropped kerbs here because
2gins said:
(i) takes away on street parking (even though it doesn't, because the car that occupies the on street space is now off the street!),
It prevents a public parking space becoming a private parking space, seems fair enough?2gins said:
(ii) makes a new hazard for cycles etc due to crossing traffic (even though it doesn't, because you've removed the car-dooring hazard at the same time),
Seems fair enough, swapping one risk for another why bother, I bet more cyclists get taken out by turning vehicles than doored 2gins said:
(iii) increased risk of pedestrian injury (even though for example 4 pedestrian injuries in 2 years prior to one application I looked at, only 1 of which involved crossing traffic).
So 25% of incidents?It's obviously an increased risk if you have cars driving over the pavement, you just don't want to see it?
2gins said:
The stipulations and standards they apply to the new crossover / hard standing are ridiculous:
You mean similar to a tradesmen offering a ridiculous price/set of T&Cs to avoid having to do the job. 2gins said:
Mine, however, are a bunch of s.
Seems like there's a selfish one right there because they bought an inappropriate house and can't get their own way ?No beef with cycles here, I am one of them most of the time.
On the TfL / council dislike for car ownership/use - it’s hardly surprising given how few people in London (especially Zone 3 inwards) have cars as a proportion of those living there.
I think it is wise to remember that it is not actually a ‘dropped kerb’ as such, but a ‘vehicle crossover’. This is not being pedantic. Lowering the kerb is only part of the process. I had this done shortly after moving into my present home, and I was surprised to see the amount of research that was done on the utilities under the pavement that had to be crossed. You can bump up and down the kerb in your shed to your heart’s content, but if you collapse a mains pipe under the pavement you will end up being billed for thousands.
I also had to put hard surface - not gravel - over the part of my parking space within a certain distance of the road, which to my mind is an excellent stipulation, as it seems so many people who have crossovers do not possess a broom. As an ex driver of a windscreen-less car I am even more in favour.
One curious thing that happened is that a few months ago a new zebra crossing was installed close to my house. Now I have to actually drive out onto the road across the zig-zag lines by the crossing. I wonder if the crossing were already in place I would have been granted permission to have a crossover.
I also had to put hard surface - not gravel - over the part of my parking space within a certain distance of the road, which to my mind is an excellent stipulation, as it seems so many people who have crossovers do not possess a broom. As an ex driver of a windscreen-less car I am even more in favour.
One curious thing that happened is that a few months ago a new zebra crossing was installed close to my house. Now I have to actually drive out onto the road across the zig-zag lines by the crossing. I wonder if the crossing were already in place I would have been granted permission to have a crossover.
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