Streets

A vehicle crossing (also known as a dropped kerb or drop kerb) is a strengthening of the highway to allow vehicles to pass regularly over the footway or verge.

The person who requests the crossing must pay for all construction costs, including planning consent (if required), repositioning of lamp columns, signs and adjustment of service boxes. If your property is an ex-council property, you may also have to pay a fee to have any covenents removed allowing you to park a vehicle within the boundary of your property.

Please be aware that planning consent must be obtained for the construction of crossings on to classified roads (A, B, and C class roads) and in conservation areas. Planning consent will also be required if you are proposing to alter the levels of your garden to accommodate a hardstanding in which to park your vehicle on. Before allowing any contractor to construct a hardstanding within your property, you should ensure that highways approval is granted for the provision of a vehicle crossing otherwise you may find yourself paying for a hardstanding that you are subsequently not able to use.

If you have a tree outside of your property, then highway permission will not be given until a representative from the Greenspaces Tree Team have also inspected to the site to ensure the tree falls outside of the permitted digging area. Highways officers will liaise with the tree team on the applicants behalf.

A vehicle crossing can be built in one of three ways:

• The householder can ask the council’s contractor to do the work. The householder will be asked to pay the cost of the crossing plus an administration fee. The current inspection fee is £87.40. This process usually takes up to 30 working days.
• The householder can use their own contractor to do the work. The householder will have to pay the council an inspection fee charge which is currently £120. The contractor will need to be accredited under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1991/Ukpga_19910022_en_1.htm) to work on the public highway and have £5million public liability insurance cover
• The householder can ask the council to construct a crossing or to extend an existing crossing while other major repairs or resurfacing work is being carried out in the same street. This may result in a reduced price for the crossing if the same contractor is used. You will receive written notification if works are being carried out in your street, giving you the opportunity to take advantage of the works.

Extending or altering existing crossings can be carried out in the same three ways.

Any new or extended vehicle crossing constructed on public highway remains the responsibility of Medway Council.

The council also requires developers to construct a vehicle crossing where one is needed for a new development. The developer must gain permission from the Highway Network Management section before carrying out the works.

To request a new vehicle crossing or alteration, please use the online form.  

Alternatively you can download either the application form (pdf 38KB) for the council's contractor to provide a quotation or a private contractor application form (pdf 395KB). To use these files you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have this on your computer please go to our advice page.

To report an illegally constructed vehicle crossing, please use the online form.

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