Vehicle crossing for outside your house
A domestic vehicle crossing (dropped kerb) allows cars and vehicles to cross the pavement from the road to a driveway.
To qualify for a crossing your hardstanding must be at least 4.8 metres deep by 2.7 metres wide.
How to apply
You need planning permission before you can apply to have a vehicle crossing if:
- your property is on a classified road
- your property is a listed building or within a conservation area
- your property is something other than a house for a single family, such as a flat, maisonette, commercial or industrial premises
- work is needed to raise the level by half a metre or more, or lower the level by 1 metre or more
- your hardstanding is made of impermeable material
You will need to submit a plan with your application. Your plan needs to show the area and measurements of your proposed hardstanding and crossing.
You will not qualify for off street parking if you have a disabled drivers parking bay.
You can submit a photo if it shows the measurements.
Costs
- Application fee - £95
- Conditional approval fee - £117
You need to pay the application fee when you submit your application. If your application is approved, we will contact you to pay the conditional approval fee. Both fees are not refundable.
Applications take 6 to 8 weeks to process.
Employing a contractor
All work must be carried out by an accredited contractor. They must submit a Section 171 (Highway permit) form.
It is the applicant's responsibility to make sure the contractor has a S171 permit.
The approved contractor must have:
- public liability insurance for £5 million
- a supervisor and operative to be accredited under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA 1991), to carry out excavations on the highway
They will need a copy of the approval letter and our vehicle crossing conditions.
We will carry out a final inspection on the completed crossing. If the work meets with the conditions of the crossing, we will send you a letter of final approval.
You are responsible for the condition of the crossing for 2 years from construction. Plymouth City Council will then take over the maintenance of the crossing.
White bar (driveway access) markings
You can ask us to paint a white line or bar marking on the road outside your house. The line only advises others drivers not to park there. We can't prosecute someone for parking there.
A white bar marking costs £210.
Applications take 6 to 8 weeks to process.
Vehicle crossing for businesses
Apply for a commercial crossing if the parking area is for multiple vehicles. For example, more than 4, or where the vehicle exceeds the average car weight of 1.4 tons
Costs
- Application fee - £95
- Conditional approval fee - £255
You need to pay the application fee when you submit your application. If your application is approved, we will contact you to pay the conditional approval fee. Both fees are not refundable.
If you plan to carry out the work yourself, you will also need to apply for a highway permit (Section 171 access to site licence).
Most commercial vehicle crossings will need planning permission. Check with our planning department.
Crossings for wheelchairs and mobility scooters
You can ask us to drop a pavement kerb to help with wheelchairs and mobility scooters. We need to get approval from your local councillors, there is a limited amount of money in each ward to spend on improvements.
You can ask us to drop the pavement near your home to make it easier for you to get to your property. There is a charge that will depend on the size of the access.
As a rough guide, it costs £212 for a square metre.
To request a dropped kerb for pedestrians email trafficmanagementinbox@plymouth.gov.uk.