This information is primarily for private, single residential drop-kerb applications.
If your enquiry is related to a residential development or an industrial development requiring access from the existing public highway, read new developments and public highways.
A dropped kerb is the lowering of a length of kerb and adjacent footway or grass verge. It is used to give access to vehicles from a road, across the public highway and onto a private driveway.
A standard dropped kerb construction will include 4 dropped kerbs with an additional tapered kerb at each side totalling 5.6 meters wide. We try to keep the entire construction within the boundary of your frontage where possible.
Why you need a dropped kerb
If you drive over a footway or grass verge to get to your driveway and you do not have a dropped kerb, you are breaking the law.
Beneath the footway or grass verge are services, such as gas, telecoms and electric. These services can be damaged by vehicles driving on the footway or grass verge unless they have been lowered or protected.
Widening your driveway
If you already have a dropped kerb and wish to widen your driveway, you do not need to apply for a bigger dropped kerb as long as you can safely access your new driveway from your existing dropped kerb.
If however widening your driveway would mean you need to drive over full-height kerbs or the highway grass verge, you need to apply to extend the dropped kerb.