Pavements and kerbs

Updates to issues you reported whilst logged into your account are available here.

Our budget is limited and demand for maintenance work always exceeds the funds available to us, so we have to prioritise. Pavement defects are inspected to assess the risk they present to users and determine the priority for repair and are then categorised.

Emergency defects are made safe or repaired within 24 hours. All other defects are dealt with within different timeframes, depending on their priority level; this can be anywhere from 28 days to six months.

It is an offence to obstruct free passage along the pavement without permission.

Obstructions of the pavement come in many forms, including:

• Overhanging trees and vegetation;
• Street cafés, which are only permitted under licence issued by the county council;
• Advertising boards;
• Walls, gates, fences and hedges;
• Goods displayed outside shops beyond any private forecourt;
• Projections onto the pavement e.g. shop canopies beyond acceptable dimensions; and
• Illegal parking on the pavement;

We will remove dangerous obstructions as soon as possible, however, in a county the size of North Yorkshire obstructions can occur without our knowledge. Please report any problems to us as soon as possible.

To report an obstruction of the pavement you must be able to provide the following information:

• The road location, number or name; and
• Any identifiable landmarks in the area to identify the location.

It would be helpful to have the following information:

• Description of the type of obstruction; and
• Location of the obstruction on the pavement.

Report a pavement issue online

If a pavement is causing an immediate danger to the safety of road users, it is classified as an emergency. You should contact us by telephone to report an emergency rather than using our online form. Our opening hours are Monday to Friday 8am - 5.30pm. Dial 999 outside office hours for our emergency service.

You can tell us about a pavement issue by registering / logging in to the 'my account' section of the website. 'My account' also allows you to view details of services you have previously applied, booked and paid for. You can also see updates on their progress.  

Log in and report a pavement issue

If you prefer, you can tell us about a pavement issue anonymously, but please be aware that you will miss out on the benefits of having an account i.e. you will not receive progress updates.

You can provide feedback about your experience of reporting a pavement issue here.

Roadside kerbs are of greatest benefit in built-up areas. They aren't used as much in rural areas as the cost often outweighs the benefits. Dropped kerbs are used to give vehicles access to a driveway or parking area, while pedestrian dropped kerbs are used at crossings to help mobility scooters and people with pushchairs. Raised kerbs are used so that low-floor buses can stop level with the kerb to allow easy access for those with mobility problems or pushchairs.

Parish or town councils have an important role to protect the visual character of their villages and towns. As representatives of the local community, they provide a key communication link between residents and the county council.

The local parish or town council is consulted with on most service requests that we receive for new highway assets e.g. road signs, road markings, pedestrian crossings etc. to ensure that they are in support.

We would therefore encourage residents who consider there is a need for new kerbing to discuss the request with the local parish or town council. This is so that they can indicate if they are in support of the request. We are unlikely to authorise requests that are not supported by the parish or town council.

It would be helpful when making your request to the parish or town council and the county council if you could provide the following details to support your request:

• The proposed location of new kerbing;
• The reason for a new kerbing to be provided; and
• Your contact details.

Contact us to make a request for a new kerbing.

Pedestrian dropped crossings are usually placed on high usage footways like routes to schools, shopping centres, and hospitals where they benefit the most users.

The local parish or town council is consulted with on most service requests that we receive for new highway assets e.g. road signs, road markings, pedestrian crossings etc to ensure that they are in support.

We would therefore encourage residents who consider there is a need for a pedestrian dropped crossing to discuss the request with the local parish or town council. This is so that they can indicate if they are in support of the request. We are unlikely to authorise requests that are not supported by the parish or town council.

It would be helpful when making your request to the parish or town council and the county council if you could provide the following details to support your request:

• The proposed location of the new pedestrian dropped crossing;
• The reason for a new pedestrian dropped crossing to be provided; and
• Your contact details.

Contact us to make a request for a new pedestrian dropped crossing.

Updates to issues you reported whilst logged into your account are available here.

Before constructing a dropped kerb crossing, you must have consent from us. You may also need planning permission from your district council or the national park authority.

To request an extension to an existing crossing, a new crossing at your home or at an industrial or employment area,  complete the vehicle crossing application form (docx / 321 KB). All costs are given in the  highway fees document (pdf / 253 KB).

 View the terms of engagement for contractors carrying out vehicular crossings (pdf / 12 MB).

It is likely that you will need planning permission from your local district council or national park authority if the vehicular crossing:

• Accesses an A, B or C classified road (access our online maps to see this information);
• Passes over non-highways land e.g. land which is registered as village green or common land;
• Is for a property other than a house for a single family e.g. housing, commercial or industrial development; or
• Works are being done inside the site.

Planning permission is not usually required if the access is onto an unclassified road (access our online maps to see this information), but might still be needed if the access forms part of more extensive works. You should check with your local district council or national park authority.

You must use a contractor who has been approved by us. We check that approved contractors have adequate insurance and have undertaken suitable training, and then supervise all works. It is an offence to carry out these works yourself or to use an unapproved contractor.

We will send you a list of approved contractors if permission is given for the construction of a vehicular crossing (dropped kerb).

You can apply to be added to our list of approved dropped crossing contractors by completing the application form:

•  Application form to become an authorised contractor (pdf / 21 KB)
•  Application form to become an authorised contractor (doc / 39 KB)

In order to qualify, you must have £5million of public liability insurance, and have people suitably registered on the street works qualification register.

You should return with your completed application form:

• An original of the insurance broker's letter confirming the required level of public liability insurance; and
• Photocopies of the streetworks qualifications register registration cards.

Please return your completed application with supporting documents to:

Development Control Team,
Business and Environmental Services,
County Hall,
Racecourse Lane, 
Northallerton
DL7 8AH.

There are lots of different types that can be used. You may need planning permission because the drainage systems in our towns and villages have only got a limited capacity, and many have already reached their limits. After the floods in 2007, recommendations were made that householders should no longer be allowed to resurface their front gardens without gaining permission. This came into effect in 2008.

The table below gives a summary of when permission is needed, and where it isn't.

Contractors are required to complete these forms to progress as part of the construction phase.

•  Contractor form part 1 - notification of works to construct a crossing (docx / 135 KB)
•  Contractor form part 2 - notification of completion of a crossing (docx / 85 KB)
•  Contractor form part 3 - request to complete maintenance period (docx / 85 KB)
•  Street works notices (all types) and instructions (xlsx / 56 KB)