JUST DROP IT
I had to pay thousands to redo dropped kerb TWICE to follow strict council rules…but they ignore their side of bargain
Pictures reveal extent of pothole problems along the road
A HOMEOWNER has slammed the council for making him shell out thousands to redo his dropped kerb - but not fixing potholes.
Glenn Rogers, 66, decided to extend the dropped kerb outside his Cardiff home by 1.5 metres so both he and his neighbour - who shares a driveway with him - could use it.
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But Glenn says within two days Cardiff Council told him he would have to fork out to have it dug up and redone by a council-approved contractor because he failed to get planning permission.
While Glenn accepts that he should have gone through the proper channels, he has slammed local authorities for taking such swift and decisive action against him while potholes plague his street.
He told : "It is just the fact that they were so quick to come down on me for something like that, which was an improvement by the way, because the old pavement was all breaking anyway.
“Really, it was more of a repair job.”
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The cost for handling a dropped kerb starts at just under £2,000 and rise to more than £3,000, according to the Cardiff.gov website.
Glenn says potholes on his road are so bad that he twisted his ankle two years ago while crossing the road.
It was reported to the council but only "one little tiny bit" was repaired, Glenn says.
He added: “I am constantly sweeping up the gutter out there because of all the bits of rubble and everything that’s coming up from the broken road. The road is just disgusting.
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“I said at the time that that whole section of road needs doing, otherwise it is going to be an ongoing problem.”
He accused the council of "not doing their bit" despite residents "doing our bit" by paying rates.
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Glenn said: "They are not keeping up to their side of the bargain, are they?"
A Cardiff council spokesperson told The Sun: “In the UK, there is a national backlog of road repairs in the region of £12bn.
"The Council inspects the highway network in line with all legislation. (The Code of Practice for Highway Maintenance Management and the requirements of the Highways Act 1980).
“The council uses the resources available to best effect by carrying out a variety of road works across the highway network including reconstruction, re-surfacing, surface patching and treatments as well as temporary repairs to potholes.
“Potholes are repaired temporarily until a long-term solution can be provided - which requires more extensive patching or resurfacing of the road.
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“Legitimate compensations claims are settled by the local authority. Any claims which are deemed to be fraudulent are investigated with a view of taking the matter to court.”
According to the Cardiff Council website, residents who want droppeed kerbs need to pay £234 to apply for a crossover - this fee is non-refundable.
The cost includes an inspector’s review and assessment, and administration.
"If your application is approved, we will provide you with a quote for the work," the council says.
"The price will vary depending on the size of the crossover and the materials used.
The rules for dropped kerbs
A dropped kerb is a sloped area where a vehicle crosses from the road to the front of a property, according to .
If residents want to build a dropped kerb, they must contact the local authority to get permission.
If you don’t, you may be fined up to £1,000.
The Highways Authority handles requests to have a vehicle crossover (dropped kerb) installed on the road by a resident's property.
In Waltham Forest, the application fee for dropped kerbs/vehicle crossings is £390, and this is non-refundable.
The owner of the property must be the one applying for the dropped kerb.
Council tenants or leaseholders, housing association tenants, and those in private rented accommodation must get consent from the appropriate landlord, housing section or estate management group.
In Ealing, the application fee is £75, while in Hertfordshire it is £125, so be sure to check the details for your local authority.
The Welsh Government website says: "If you are making a new access into the garden across the footpath you will need to obtain permission from the local council to drop the kerbs and the pavement may need strengthening.
"This is to protect any services buried in the ground such as water pipes."
"The quote will cover the back of the public pavement to the front of the road on the public highway only."
The costs vary depending on the material used and the length of the crossover.
For those measuring 3m, 6mm Bitumen (Flexible)Tarmac will set homeowners back £1,989.40.
Hot Rolled Asphalt (HRA) and Modular Paving both cost £2,039.40, while concrete costs £2,064.40.
Prices go up for a 4.8m crossover.
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For 6mm Bitumen (Flexible)Tarmac, the price is £2,984.40.
Hot Rolled Asphalt (HRA) or Modular Paving cost £3,064.40, while concrete will cost £3,104.40.
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