Dropped Kerb - is a gravel drive ok?

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123jump

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Hello,
I recently applied for permission to Greenwich Council for a dropped kerb and they said we need to change the driveway "to be a solid surface and not constructed of loose material, since this presents a risk to the highway. Most residents use block paving or bound materials such as asphalt, concrete or resin bound stone."

The Council's own policy on crossovers/dropped kerbs simply refers to needing a "hardstanding", which I understand includes gravel, and does not say gravel is not allowed. We only recently had the drive done in gravel and don't have the budget to have it redone asphalt, concrete or resin bound stone.

Any suggestions on how to approach this gratefully received.

Many thanks for reading! Pete
 
Gravel is fine if used with gravel grids.
Cheap enough and easy to install and you can use the grave you already have there.
 
123jump said:
Hello,
I recently applied for permission to Greenwich Council for a dropped kerb and they said we need to change the driveway "to be a solid surface and not constructed of loose material, since this presents a risk to the highway. Most residents use block paving or bound materials such as asphalt, concrete or resin bound stone."

The Council's own policy on crossovers/dropped kerbs simply refers to needing a "hardstanding", which I understand includes gravel, and does not say gravel is not allowed. We only recently had the drive done in gravel and don't have the budget to have it redone asphalt, concrete or resin bound stone.

Any suggestions on how to approach this gratefully received.

Many thanks for reading! Pete
Click to expand...
Highways tend to agree to a 'rumble strip', i.e. a paved buffer zone (1.2m?) between your drive and the pavement.
 
Gravel drives are aweful in an urban location. They shed marbles all over the road making it unsafe especially for cyclists and motorcycles. Can't see a buffer or grid totally stopping the spread onto the road.
 
It depends which part of the council you are apply to. Highways or Planning? I was not aware that Highways could condition any consent they give. Planning should only follow their own policies.
 
nickjb said:
Gravel drives are aweful in an urban location. They shed marbles all over the road making it unsafe especially for cyclists and motorcycles. Can't see a buffer or grid totally stopping the spread onto the road.
Click to expand...
Initially the grid loses some stones, but after a few months everything gets compacted and nothing moves anymore.
 
The gravel supplier we used (in the open countryside, not urban) said it's important to get the right kind of gravel for the job. Avoid rounded stones - the best are about an inch across and a rough approximation to a cube as possible. They don't roll under the impact of car wheels, but slowly bed down naturally. The level drops as they bed in, so a year later you need to top up with a couple of inches.

Ornamental gravel, rounded, is useless. The car just digs its own grave.
 
clifford1 said:
The gravel supplier we used (in the open countryside, not urban) said it's important to get the right kind of gravel for the job. Avoid rounded stones - the best are about an inch across and a rough approximation to a cube as possible. They don't roll under the impact of car wheels, but slowly bed down naturally. The level drops as they bed in, so a year later you need to top up with a couple of inches.

Ornamental gravel, rounded, is useless. The car just digs its own grave.
Click to expand...
Yep I seem to spend half my life kicking the rounded stuff back on to the drive, next time it will be the correct stuff with a grid.
 
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