Driveways · Problem & repair
No dropped kerb, or an access that is too narrow to use
You can build the best driveway in the street and still not be able to use it if the crossing over the footway is not right. The kerb is the council's, not yours, and that shapes the whole project.
The sensible order is: confirm what access is achievable, then design the driveway around it.
How to tell this is your problem
- Having to mount a full-height kerb to get on the drive
- Wheels or bumpers catching at the threshold
- An entrance too narrow for a modern car's turning arc
- Damage to the footway from repeated crossing
- A gate that cannot be opened without stopping in the road
Repair or replace?
Never build first and apply later. If the crossing is refused or shifted, the finished driveway may need reworking.
Why it happens
No formal crossing installed
Off-street parking created without a vehicle crossing leaves the footway kerb intact and the access unusable or unlawful.
Crossing too narrow
An older crossing sized for a smaller car makes turning in from a narrow road difficult with today's vehicles.
Steep threshold transition
A sharp change of gradient at the boundary grounds low vehicles even where the kerb is dropped.
Obstructions
Street furniture, trees, lamp columns, manholes and utility boxes can all restrict where a crossing may go.
Repair options, cheapest first
- 01
Apply to the highway authority
Vehicle crossings are applied for through the local highway authority, which sets the requirements and approves the contractor arrangements.
- 02
Design the threshold gradient
A short, well-designed transition from footway level to drive level prevents grounding and keeps water off the highway.
- 03
Widen the entrance
Adjusting boundary walls, piers or planting to gain turning width often makes more difference than the crossing itself.
- 04
Threshold drainage
A channel drain at the boundary is generally required so surface water from the drive does not discharge onto the footway.
Cost and time on site
Indicative cost
Highway crossing works are quoted separately from driveway construction and are controlled by the local authority's process and rates.
Typical duration
Council application lead times vary considerably and should be started well before the driveway is booked in.
Every quote is priced after seeing the site. We plan the access and threshold detail as part of the driveway quote.
Dropped kerb & access: common questions
- Do I need permission for a dropped kerb?
- Yes. Vehicle crossings over a public footway require approval from the local highway authority, and there may be planning considerations for classified roads.
- Can I make my own dropped kerb?
- No. The footway and kerb are highway assets and altering them without consent is an offence, as well as risking utility apparatus underneath.
- How wide should a driveway entrance be?
- Wider is easier, particularly on narrow roads where you cannot swing in. The authority will specify permitted widths for the crossing itself.
- Does a driveway need drainage at the entrance?
- Generally yes - surface water must not run out onto the highway, so a threshold channel or permeable construction is normally required.
Services that fix this
Driveways
Hard-wearing tarmac driveways with proper sub-base and drainage.
Block Paving Driveways
Block paved driveways laid on a proper Type 1 sub-base with kerb restraint.
Resin Driveways
Resin-bound driveways over a properly prepared permeable base.
Related reading: Driveway Cost Guide 2026 (Surrey & Hampshire)
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