Dropped Kerb Calculator — Crossover Materials & Cost

Yes, you need to apply to your local council (highways authority) for a dropped kerb. In most of England, you apply via the council's highways department. The council will assess the location for safety, visibility splays and proximity to junctions. It's an offence to drive over a full-height kerb without a proper crossover. As an indicative guide, council fees and works commonly fall around £800–2,500, but charges vary widely by authority and some now charge well above this (e.g. Royal Greenwich quotes roughly £3,000 plus an inspection fee from 1 April 2026) — always confirm the current fee with your own council.

A single vehicle crossover is typically 2.7m wide (3 kerb units). A double crossover for two cars side-by-side is around 4.2-5.4m. Your council may have minimum and maximum width requirements. The width must be sufficient for your vehicle to enter and exit safely without overrunning the footpath.

Transition kerbs (also called taper or ramp kerbs) are the angled kerbs at each end of the dropped section that provide a smooth gradient from the full-height kerb down to the dropped level. You always need 2 transition kerbs — one at each end. They are typically more expensive than standard dropped kerbs.

Not usually for a domestic driveway. DfT guidance (Guidance on the Use of Tactile Paving Surfaces, 2021, section 2.5.4) states the blister surface should NOT generally be applied on vehicle crossovers to residential properties, or anywhere the volume of crossing traffic is low. It is only warranted where traffic flow is high — for example accesses to petrol filling stations, supermarkets or car parks — where the crossover is treated as an uncontrolled crossing. Where blister paving IS required, the depth is 400mm (1 row of 400mm pavers) for an inset crossing met at an acute angle, or 1200mm (3 rows) where it lies in the pedestrian direction of travel (section 2.4.2). The 800mm depth applies only to controlled crossings other than those in the direct line of travel (section 2.4.1, e.g. signalised or zebra crossings) — which does not describe a private vehicle crossover — so a crossover uses 400mm or 1200mm rather than 800mm. A minimum 25mm upstand between the carriageway and the crossover is required at all crossovers regardless. Use the rows input below to model whichever applies to your site.

As an indicative market range (UK trade price guides such as Checkatrade, MyBuilder and MyJobQuote, 2026), council-installed dropped kerbs commonly cost around £800-2,500 depending on width and local authority, while hiring an approved contractor (with council permission) is typically £1,000-3,000. These are guide figures only — council fees in particular vary widely and some authorities now charge well above £2,500. You'll also need to reinstate the footpath with matching materials. Add the cost of your driveway surface separately — see our Driveway Calculator for surface material quantities.