5. Vehicle entrances onto roads
For vehicles to access driveways from the public road there are two types of entrance, known as a vehicle crossing, depending on the type of vehicle using the driveway are either light duty or heavy duty.
For this section a driveway is either for private residential use or for users of, and deliveries to, warehouses and shops or similar, known as commercial units.
Driveways shall not drain surface water onto public roads and footpaths including sustainable drainage systems. The maximum gradient should be 1 in 25 (4%).
Light duty crossings
This type of crossing is typically used for single use driveways used by few cars and not lorries. If a footpath exists, it will continue uninterrupted in front of the driveway.
The road kerbs as detailed in the Kerbing and concrete section shall be laid 25mm above the edge of the road.
Example vehicle entrance drawing (PDF) provided as a typical detail for reference only. Scheme-specific versions may be required.
If the vehicle entrance crosses a sustainable drainage system (SuDS) and is designed to drain the surface water from the crossing into the SuDS, the road kerb shall be positioned in reverse with the square edge the same level with the edge of the road.
Example vehicle entrance with SuDS drawing (PDF) provided as a typical detail for reference only. Scheme-specific versions may be required.
A footpath edging as detailed in the Kerbing and concrete section shall be laid between the driveway and crossing, and at a level to achieve the maximum gradient of 1 in 25 (4%).
A light duty crossing shall be built, as detailed in the Road build design section with the following:
- A geosynthetic layer over a soft subgrade with less than 1.5% CBR.
- 150mm type 1 sub-base.
- 100mm of binder course (AC20 Dense Binder Course)
- 25mm of surface course (AC6 Dense Surf Surface Course) or 60mm block paver laid over 30mmof laying course.
Heavy duty crossings
This type of crossing is typically used for multiple use driveways used by many cars and lorries.
Driveways which serve a maximum of nine houses or a maximum of one commercial unit may include kerbing to the same requirement as a light duty crossing above with the crossing depth built to the Road build tables.
Driveways serving more than nine houses or more than one commercial unit shall have kerbing installed as described in the Kerbing and concrete section either side of the crossing with a sufficient radius to enable lorries to remain on the crossing whilst turning in and out of the driveway.
A channel block shall be used between the driveway and crossing as detailed in the Kerbing and concrete section.
The crossing depth shall be built to the Road build tables with a 40mm surface course made of hot rolled asphalt material as detailed in the Road build design section.
Alternatively the crossing may be built with 150mm of type 1 sub-base and 200mm of C40/50 concrete, see details in the Road build design section.