Chris GB

Something I have noticed happening more and more lately is that Essex council are building ramps out into the road instead of putting in a proper dropped kerb. One of my pupils did not spot one of these in the dark and I had to steer him round it. Now it strikes me as odd that it would be permitted to build a potentially vehicle damaging ramp away from the kerb. It is legal?

Chris

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RobClubley

Sounds like laziness to me.

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Tom_vRS

I don't think its the local authority putting these in, more like residents who don't want to pay for a proper crossing. They are a nuisance and I've spent a considerable sum ripping them out - at the ratepayers expense. I wonder if residents realise the potential legal bill they could receive if a cyclist came flying off their bike from hitting one - much more sensible to splash out the £500-£1000 having the kerb dropped properly.

Same goes for a bit of 6x4 plonked down in front of the kerb. I'd ring Essex to report them if you come across any specific ones Chris.

Regarding legality, not specifically illegal I don't think. I treat them as an emergency defect.

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Wardy

I'm a bit confused as to what you mean Chris. Do you mean by the entrances to properties, at the kerbside, as Tom is talking about?

Steve

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Wardy

The drop kerb for private properties issue put me in mind of this story:
Cars are trapped on 'illegal' driveways after council fits bollards in the middle of the night | Mail Online

Not sure if it was posted on here at the time. Did make me laugh a bit, I have to say!

Steve

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18s : Maxidot : Jumbo Pack : Cruise : PDC

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RobClubley

Haha - classic! Why do we need to know what registration year their cars are?

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Wardy

Or the price of the house one of them lives in. Classic Daily Mail reporting



Steve

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18s : Maxidot : Jumbo Pack : Cruise : PDC

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting." - Steve McQueen
"If in doubt, flat out." - Colin McRae

*tim*

I agree with Tom here, I appreciate that Essex County Council might be a bunch of cowboys but I doubt they're actually that bad... I thought they could of been temporary accesses to development sites whilst they waited for a dropped kerb to be installed, but the cheapness of residents seems more likely.

As an aside I saw loads of these in Loughbourgh over the weekend

smstext

just wondering if a 6x4 thats only put down when you need access but taken up the rest of the time would that be fine?

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skomaz

I would agree with Tom - they are most likely illegal access ramps instead of full drop crossings. The trouble is that residents want a cheap solution that doesn't involve going through the planning process needed for a drop crossing (and the fact that it could be refused). What they don't realise is that they are breaking the law by driving across the footway when there isn't a formal drop crossing, what they have done is dangerous to other users and that they could end up with a huge legal bill should there be an accident etc. (and the same applies to a 6x4 that is only used when required...)

Just report them to the local council and get them removed as suggested.

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Chris GB

What has been done is that instead of putting in a dropped kerb, a ramp has been built out into the road. Two of the ones I have seen could well be the work of cowboys (one on the NSL North Weald airfield approach road, one near some flats in a residential area where development is taking place obstructing the pavement on the opposite side of the road). However, one is in Brentwood High Road, so unlikely to be private bodge.

I will inform the local highways dep't, maybe they will do more than they did when I reported over height speed bumps, ie. nothing.

Chris

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Tom_vRS

No, its not. Normal footway is constructed to take pedestrian traffic, dropped crossing points are built to a stonger construction with a greater depth of materials etc. On top of that it would legally be deemed as driving on the footway.

Chris, speed bumps are a bit of a sensitive issue. What height were they out of interest? Going to the press and getting support of local members is the best cause of action

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Tomo1971

A few years back the parents in laws neighbours decided to drop their own curb even though it was suggested that the get the council to do it. They lifted the slabs and curbstones, took out some hardcore from underneath and dropped the slabs and curbstones back in, leaving them just about looking like a dropped curb.

Problem was that the bits either side, as they wernt proper stones had sharp edges on them, rather than rounded.

When I pulled up one day outside their house to call by, I mis judged the curb and splt the tyre sidewall on the sharp edge of the curbstone.

As they refused to pay for a tyre after a polite request, they ended up been forced by the council to pay for the tyre, and remedial work on the dropped curb to bring it to council standards!

Steve

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sharkrider

It may vary from council to council, but here (Allerdale [ind]) you are ONLY allowed to create a driveway, by paying the council to lower the kerbs properly themselves.... anything else is considered illegal.

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Chris GB

Bumps were square and over 110mm at crown, one at 130mm (Measured with a metre rule across the top, distance to the ground). It is grazed to pieces on top and damages some of the stiffening frame I fitted to the bottom of the MR2 which sits at 115mm above the ground 2 up.

Chris

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Red Fabia vRS. Gone but not forgotten.

Chilli Red / white Mini Cooper Diesel with dual controls.

Silver 53 MR2. Mods: PPE 4>1 manifold | PPE Mangnaflow high flow cat | Blueflame catback exhaust | Pikey inlet mod | 3.0 Racing Chassis stiffening brace kit | BC Racing fully adjustable coilovers | TF loud. Details here My MR2 Page

Tom_vRS

They sound a tad aggresive Chris.

Not meaning to sound patronising, but you don't have to straddle them you know

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Chris GB

You do when they are in the middle of two rows of parked cars.

Chris

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Red Fabia vRS. Gone but not forgotten.

Chilli Red / white Mini Cooper Diesel with dual controls.

Silver 53 MR2. Mods: PPE 4>1 manifold | PPE Mangnaflow high flow cat | Blueflame catback exhaust | Pikey inlet mod | 3.0 Racing Chassis stiffening brace kit | BC Racing fully adjustable coilovers | TF loud. Details here My MR2 Page

kynastonp

I understood that road humps were a legal maximum of 4 inches (100mm) but with a recommendation of a maximum 3 inch ( 75mm) with a maximum vertical face of 6mm

there used to be more rules like not on slopes or bends or within xx meters of a pedestrian crossing but all that was recinded when the labour govenment came to power (1996 law changed in 1999)