Vehicular Crossing Frequently Asked Questions

The property owner is responsible for all construction and maintenance costs, whether requested by owner(s) or is determined necessary by Council. Please refer to the NSW Roads Act 1993 – Sect 218 and 219. 

As a renter with no concrete vehicular entrance, what can I do? 

Initially all requests go to your agent. It is the owner’s responsibility to have a concrete vehicular access to the property.

An illegal crossing is one that has not had prior Council approval or is still in its natural form i.e. earth nature strip.

Where action is affected in such a way as to cause gutter blockages and / or public danger (trip hazard), notice will be served on the owner to remove, reinstate, or construct an approved crossing.

If a reply is not received within 28 days, Council will take action to carry out minimum requirements to rectify problem and tits owner debited with costs. Please refer to the NSW Roads Act 1993 – Sect 218 and 219.

Council strongly recommends that the property owner constructs a proper concrete vehicular crossing.

Only Council’s Authorised Contractors can construct the vehicular crossings.

The Authorised Contractor is responsible for lodging the online application for approval to construct the vehicular crossing.

All works must be supervised by Council.

I have a complaint about a contractor

Please submit all complaints to Council’s Crossings Engineer,  Infrastructure Operations: ePathVeh@hornsby.nsw.gov.au.

All claims will be investigated. 

My contractor is insisting on payment, how do I know if Council has given ‘Final Approval'? 

Request to see the ‘Final Approval Slip’  issued to your Contractor by Council.

To reconstruct a broken section of an existing crossing?

Yes. All works must be supervised by Council and should be carried out by one of Council’s Authorised Contractors.

If I live on a private road?

No, but you should follow Council’s Vehicular Crossing Specifications(PDF, 1MB).

If I live on a State or Regional Road?

Yes, an additional consent is required from Transport for NSW (TfNSW).

Call Transport for NSW (TfNSW) on 131 782 for further information.

TfNSW must approve the plans prior to Council issuing an approval for construction. An ROL may be required; any requirements must be confirmed by the contractor with TfNSW’ s online traffic management centre.

The layback and asphalt reconstruction are to be constructed by a TfNSW authorised contractor at the alignment and level approved by TfNSW inspector.

All remaining works must be supervised by Council’s Crossings Engineer, Infrastructure Operations and carried out by an approved Authorised Contractor. 

Check the classification of the road.

To relocate my existing vehicular crossing

Yes. Please submit your request to Council’s Crossing Engineer, Infrastructure Operations.

Subject to approval, the existing crossing will be removed and new kerb and gutter reinstated, in conjunction with the new crossing construction. All costs are at the property owner’s expenses. 

To alter its shape, because I live on a busy street and find it difficult to enter by driveway safely

This request is subject to Council’s approval.

Please submit a request to Council’s Crossings Engineer, Infrastructure Operations: ePathVeh@hornsby.nsw.gov.au.

To concrete my internal driveway

Contact Council’s Planning and Compliance Division for all internal driveway requirements, especially where retaining walls are required.

By tree roots

If damage has been caused by roots from a Council Street Tree, contact Council's Customer Service and a request will be referred to appropriate department within Council to investigate and respond to the matter.

If damage has been caused by a tree on private property and reconstruction of the crossing will impact the tree roots, a AQF Level 5 arborist must prepare an Arboricultural Impact Assessment Report, that would be submitted with your application prior to any works.

To remove a private tree, you must lodge an application online for Council’s Tree Management Team to assess.

By a public utility

Contact Council's Customer Service and a request will be referred to appropriate department to investigate and respond to the matter.

Please note Council only reinstates in plain concrete, regardless of the type of finish on the remainder of the crossing.

Council can only arrange reinstatement after the responsible public utility has submitted a restoration order to Council.

In the meantime, should you experience any backfill subsidence prior to replacement please contact the responsible Public Utility Authority. Please refer to Section 3.17 of this ‘Specification’.

How old is your driveway? Have you changed your vehicle recently?

Your vehicular crossing levels may need to be adjusted to suit. All costs are at the property owner’s expense. All works must be supervised by Council and carried out by one of Council’s Authorised Contractors.  

Are ‘wedges’ in gutter permitted? 

No. Wedges impede the flow of stormwater and if materials used are not secured, they have the potential to be washed into stormwater drains which may result in blocking drains and cause flooding of properties and/or road. 

Council may recommend the property owner needs to construct a concrete crossing, at the owners’ expense, to prevent dirt and gravel being washed into your property from the street when it rains and there is no Council drainage in the street.

Standard

Standard is used for light traffic vehicles.

Heavy Duty

Heavy duty is usually constructed for commercial and industrial purposes or where vehicles over 5 tonnes will be regularly using vehicular access. 

Please refer to Section 2.3.3, 2.3.4 of the ‘Specification.’

Laybacks can only be constructed in plain concrete. 

Crossings can be constructed generally constructed in plain concrete.

Colours

Council approval is required to use coloured concrete. Approved colours are - light brown, yellow or black oxide, this colour is to be oxide through the full depth of the slab, (no topping layers).

No sealing or epoxy toppings are allowed. 

Bitumen

A bituminous crossing is subject to approval and only permitted in rural areas.  

Vehicular Tracks

Vehicular “tracks” are not permitted, as they create trip hazards.

Minimum and Maximum Widths at Property Boundary

A minimum of 3.0 metres and a maximum of 3.5 metres wide at the property boundary for single and a minimum 3.5 metres to a maximum 4.5 metres wide at the property boundary for double.

* Minimum 2.5m only for reconstruction to meet existing internal tracks.

Can widen my crossing to suit a double garage?

Applications will be considered on merit by Council’s Crossings Engineer.  

Alignment

The crossing is to be constructed perpendicular to road.

Maximum Gradient

The maximum gradient is 1 in 4 (25%).

Maximum Number

Council will permit a maximum of one vehicular crossing per property. 

Exceptions on merit may include:

• Rural lots 
• Dual Occupancy developments 
• Multiple street frontages 
• Locations where improved safety is a key consideration 
• Proposed Complying Development 

More than one (1) vehicular crossing may only be considered where approval has been granted via a Development Application. 

Minimum Structure Provisions

A crossing will only be provided to access a garage or carport. A crossing will not be provided to park on the lawn.

Vehicular Tracks

Vehicular “tracks” are not permitted, as they create trip hazards.

Crossings must be at least 1m clear of any post, pole, tree or stormwater pits, unless approval is given by Council’s Crossings Engineer.

Close to a tree

The owner must first obtain prior approval from Council’s Tree Management Section prior to vehicular crossing construction. 

Services

All service covers and lines are required to be adjusted to suit new crossing levels and grades, in consultation with relevant authority. The cost of these adjustments is at the owner’s expense.

When

You should apply prior to any internal driveway construction.

This will determine your internal property level and garage floor level, thus allowing for a smooth transition when entering and exiting your property, without scraping the underside of your vehicle.

For a Development Application (DA)

To obtain vehicular crossing design levels at the front boundary for the design on the internal driveway Development Application DA. Please go to Council’s Online Services Portal.

Quotation received

While Council is doing reconstruction works in your street, building new kerb and guttering, you may receive a quotation for the construction of your vehicular crossing.

If you accept Council’s quotation, please note that the quote is only valid whilst construction crews are working in your street.

Full payment is required prior to construction commencing.

The following inspections are required during the construction of the crossing:

• Formwork inspection
• Concrete base slab inspection (for brick paved crossings only)
• Final inspection

The authorised Contractor is responsible for booking these inspections.

Apply

Refer to Section 3.10 of the Specification(PDF, 1MB).

Apply to become an authorised contractor

Requirements

Under the WHS Act 2011, Council, as the landowner, is required to ensure the ‘subcontractor’ i.e. Authorised Contractor, provides a written ‘Safe Work Method Statement’ before commencing any ‘high risk construction work’ i.e. any hazardous construction work that has the potential to harm the health and safety of people or to damage plant and equipment”. 

Refer to the SafeWork NSW website for further information or call 13 10 50. 

Authorised Contractors need to know how to prepare a suitable Traffic Control Plan.

Refer to the Transport for NSW (TfNSW) website – ‘Traffic Control at Work Sites'. 

Under the NSW Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997(POEO) it is illegal to pollute or cause or permit pollution of waters. Under the Act, 'water pollution' includes introducing litter, wash water, soil, debris, detergent, paint, cement slurry, building materials etc. into waters or placing such material where it is likely to be washed or blown into waters or the stormwater system or percolate into groundwater. The Authorised Contractors must also know how to prepare an Erosion and Sediment Control Plan.