SunnySideUp

Just back from holiday .... letter from Council on doormat.

"It has been noted that you are driving a vehicle over the footpath to access your property - we give you 3 months to construct a suitable access"

Now, I do have access to my driveway via a council provided dropped kerb - but, due to the number of cars we have I have increased the width of the driveway by about 150% ..... to enable all the cars to get onto the drive I placed blocks against the kerb to enable the 'bumping up' of the Scooby onto the front of the property.

It appears that these blocks are the Councils objection - plus the fact that they say the footpath isn't designed for vehicle loadings ..... but, 4 metres along it is ok? Weird.

Any advice? - legal position? - possible council action? - the whole arrangement is working fine as it is.

Snazy

Sounds like the council are making a valid point, and obviously they have received complaints about it.

Furnish them with the funds to rectify it, and return to normal routine.

zeuss

iTrader: (2)

the council are k***s we have a hard standing concrete drive on our property that previous tenants had done. when we took possession of the house we was told we cannot use the drive as there is no drop kerb to access it as the previous tenants never applied for permission !!!!

JDM_Stig

iTrader: (3)

Either pay them to drop the kerb or apply to get ur local pixies to do it, do you have to drive over any grass or soft ground? maybe that is what they mean.

zeuss

iTrader: (2)

no soft ground or grass straight from rd to kerb to drive and large open fenced area - just needs dropped kerb I have placed blocks at some point to get scooby on to prevent damage to car

SunnySideUp

No, it's a tarmac footpath - the very same which I drive over to access the driveway .... only difference is no dropped kerb where I bump up.

I can't see anyone complaining - except one ...... I'm thinking it is the gutter sweeper man - he will probably have to lift his brushes to get around the wooden blocks?

I think it's a 'Jobsworth' issue myself ..... the local pikeys will do it, of course, but the council will want to inspect it to see that it is within their specifications (and I guess 2mm of tarmac wouldn't pass!? )

wheelwright

I was under the impression it was a council only job putting in or extending a drop kerb??

decepticon

i would imagine it is the wooden blocks you have placed in the carriage way that is the problem.
as you mentioned it troubles the gutter sweepers, probably disrupts the flow of water and is potentially hazardous to cyclists/cars.
i would suggest removing them, speaking to council to say you wont do it any more (and bump up kerb if poss) or get it done proper
cheers

PaulC72

I cannot believe you are bumping the scooby up!!!!!

Shameful but I suppose it is better than the rolls ;-)

I think you just need to get them out to sort an extended kerb drop for you pay the inflated amount they will want but it iwll solve your problem and give you the correct permissions to doso, I also don't think anyone but the council can do the drops without their permission.

jjones

Pete, finding it hard to see that someone of your wealth accesses their house via blocks of wood.

don't feed the troll!

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

Pete - I think the problem will lie with the kerb collapsing under repeated loads placed by a car driving over it... with a dropped kerb this won't happen, but I guess it may with a raised one. You could well pull the kerb stone away from the tarmacced pavement and then cause it to collapse into the gap.

Personally I'd stump up the money or stop doing it.

hodgy0_2

not sure why your dealing with this triffling matter tbh -- I tend to leave this sort of stuff to the Groundsman

Snazy

Just live somewhere decent that you can get at least 5 cars on and off the drive through one common purpose built entrance.... like I have lol

dpb

ScoobyWon't

Just sit outside your house with your hand on the horn in a continous blast until the owners of the offending vehicles move, allowing you access to your drive.

Then complain to the council about noise polution caused by car owners who cannot get onto their driveways

dpb

Oh dont worry ,hes allready got his hand on someones horn

DYK

Wouldn't get the pixies to do it although they will charge far less than the council probably,but in the next road up from me a guy paid to have his curb dropped.The council found out about it and because it wasn't work carried out by the council they made him pay to have the curb put back to how it was..One thing that has made me laugh though a mate of mine parks his car on the road he has his van on the drive,the council came and put double yellow lines on the street.Once they had gone he got his tools out and chipped away at the lines until it was clear of his house,inspectors have been round a few times and never said anything but always stand and look confused that the lines are gone from his house but are outside all the other homes in the street.

+Doc+

Cant you access the drive from the drop section anyhow? Or is it the fact you would need to move a car to get another car in via that route?

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

If you do it you need insurance ... just pay the council to do it..

Robbie200

Some Local Authorities may install a dropped kerb crossing for nothing (or at reduced cost) if the footpaths are being resurfaced/kerbs replaced at the same time. Might be worth contacting them to see if the street is in the future footway resurfacing programme.

gtijames

i had a quote to drop my kerbs recently the contractor wanted £850 plus the council licence which is around £100,they are expensive as you have to use the council approved contractors so they know they can charge you loads because theyve got you by the *****.
its a shame as i know i can get them done on a hobble for £300ish but sods law will be i get it done on the cheap then one of my neighbours will fall on them and break a leg and i will get sued.just going to have to save a bit more cash.

SunnySideUp

Trying a new trick now - putting the cars at an angle along the drive ... then I won't have to bump up the kerb or pay the outrageous costs of having a dropped kerb put in further up

But one car will get blocked in

hodgy0_2

in london, councils are loath to do this, as it means all the houses in the street loose the front garden -- which then turns into an ugly car port

and once it has been lowered it will rarely be put back and a garden reinstated - if at all

Aaron1978

iTrader: (12)

This is pretty much how it works, they usually give you a list of approved contractors. You can usually choose who you want to use and that way you can get a decent price. We went on the register for approved contractors a few years back only because a few of our lads wanted to do their drives and would not stump up £1000+ when we can do it for the cost of tarmac and a bit of concrete so less than £100 as we have curbs lying around various jobs.

There should be no issues with the path/curb being weak as it is, Usually the people that have complained are the ones that have bought a house with a drive or have paid for it to be done.

Aaron

Avi

Wigan Counicl have just quoted my pal £260 for a 3 metre dropped curb. Sounds quite reasonable to me.

Leslie

As ever councils are getting more difficult to deal with and wont accept any compromise. I heard today that they are planning to legislate for councils to increase your council tax if your house insulation is not up to their standard.

Les

mykp

what!!!!! your having a giraffe?

How they going to calculate that?

So do I get a discount if I dont have any kids as well then? or I live in a basement flat? Or what if you house is too old to have cavity wall insulation.

Thats like saying we're going to tax you more because the house you live in is sh;t ecologically! (and to hell with the fact you house might be 500 years old! )

Leslie

Yes exactly, I live in an old stone house with very thick walls and with a single brick extension. Surely they have to make allowances for that and in your case, but you can never tell these days-they are scratching for the cash to pay their pensions of course!

Someone told me this today but I have not seen it in print yet.

Les

SunnySideUp

Sounds like you have been chatting to the Village Idiot again Les - I've told you to leave him alone!

SunnySideUp

I would go for that!