Dropped kerbs

We can lower the pavement outside your house so you can get a car on your driveway.

It's illegal to drive over the pavement or verge unless we've approved and installed a dropped kerb.

The first step is to apply for a quote. It costs £107 to apply.

Apply for a dropped kerb

Before you start...

You'll need the following to apply for a dropped kerb:

measurements of your driveway
plan of where you want the dropped kerb
£107 to get an assessment of your driveway and pavement
an idea of the total costs (see below).

Dropped kerb terms and conditions – you need to read these before you apply.

Can you get a dropped kerb?

Not everyone can get a dropped kerb. Your driveway must meet our requirements.

A good way to check is to take measurements of your driveway. You must provide us with a plan showing where you want the dropped kerb.

When we make a decision, a manager will double check any applications that are declined. You shouldn't expect to get approval just because a neighbour has.

You can't apply if:

you're on a private road
you're a developer of sites of more than 1 property. Take a look at our guidance for developers.

Rules that your driveway must meet

Check these before you apply:

The depth of your parking area

Your parking area must be at least 4.8 metres deep and 2.75 metres wide.
If you want to park parallel to your property, your parking area must be at least 9.6 metres wide by 3.5 metres deep.

You have written permission

Some locations will require planning permission. Check the dropped kerb terms and conditions to see if this applies to you. You can also check with your local district or borough council.
If you're a tenant, you'll need consent from the landowner.
Consent if you live in Letchworth or Welwyn Garden City

If you live in Letchworth, Welwyn Garden City or Broxbourne borough

If you live in Letchworth, you'll need written consent from the Letchworth Heritage Foundation before applying.
If you live in Welwyn Garden City, you'll need written consent from Welwyn Garden City Estate Management Scheme before applying.
If you live in Broxbourne borough, contact Broxbourne Borough Council who handle dropped kerbs in that area.

Your site visit – criteria we assess

We'll assess this criteria during your site visit:

Your driveway must be at least 15 metres away from a junction. We might reduce this to 10 metres if you live in a cul-de-sac.
If the proposed dropped kerb is within a parking bay or lay by, we'll refuse your application.
Your dropped kerb mustn't affect the operation of traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. It mustn't be within the confines of zig zag lines.
Your drive must have good visibility. Pedestrians and vehicles need to be clearly seen when entering or exiting the property.
Your drive must not be steeper than 1 in 10 (10%).
The proposed dropped kerb must not be on a busy or high-speed road (above 50mph). If it is, you'll need to have space to turn around within your property, without having to reverse out onto the road.

See the dropped kerb terms and conditions for a full list of things that we assess.

Second dropped kerb

If your property already has a dropped kerb, you need sufficient space for us to approve a second one. The minimum measurement is 13.6 metres wide by 4 metres deep. Check the dropped kerb terms and conditions for full details.

Cost of a dropped kerb

It costs £107 to apply and get an assessment. This covers the processing of the application, the assessment of your driveway and creating a plan of the work needed.

We normally do assessments within 6–8 weeks.

If your assessment is successful, we'll give you a further quote for the full work.

Enter a distance to see the typical costs for getting a dropped kerb*

Let us know the distance between the edge of the property and the edge of the pavement closest to the road.

metres

After your decision

If we approve your application, you'll need to pay for the dropped kerb itself.

Once you've paid and approved the work plan, we'll carry out the work within
12–14 weeks (depending on the weather).

We'll write to you 1 week before the work starts. You don't need to be there, but you'll need to prepare your driveway (make sure concrete edgings are in place or removing any obstructions like trees or hedges).

Pay for the dropped kerb and approve our work plan

Appeal a decision

You can appeal if you feel that we haven't applied the criteria correctly. Let us know your reasons.

Email us:

cschighways@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Or write to:

Highways
PO Box 153
Abel Smith House
Gunnels Wood Road
Stevenage, Hertfordshire
SG1 2ST

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Dropped kerbs

Before you start...

Can you get a dropped kerb?

Rules that your driveway must meet

The depth of your parking area

You have written permission

Second dropped kerb

Cost of a dropped kerb

After your decision

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