Appendix 8

Highway design standards

1.	Service Distances

a. Refuse collecting vehicle to communal container: maximum 9 metres.

b. Dustbin carry distance to refuse collecting vehicle: maximum 25 metres.

c. Emergency vehicles to front or back door of residential properties with floors no higher 
than 6 metres above ground: maximum 45 metres.

These distances shall be measured from the public highway accessible to the service vehicle 
concerned.

Sources BS5906 (1980)
Fire Prevention Note 1 / 70

2. Driveways and Hard Standings for Residential Properties

New garages and car ports which give access to a public highway, where there is significant 
levels of passing foot or vehicular traffic should retain a driveway within the curtilage of 
the dwelling, sufficient to enable a vehicle to stand clear of the highway whilst the garage 
doors are opened.

Measurements should be made from the back edge of the public highway and should normally 
reach the following minimum standards:

a. 5 metres with roller shutter doors.

b. 5.6 metres with ‘up and over’ doors.

c. 6 metres with opening doors.

3. Gates to Residential Properties

a. Where gates are to be erected on busy roads (generally with peak hour flows exceeding 
300 vehicle per hour), they should be set back at least 5 metres from the highway boundary 
and should open inward only.

b. Gates should never open outwards across any part of the highway.

c. Where boundary treatments and new driveway entrances could jeopardise pedestrian safety, 
the provision of 2 metres by 2 metres pedestrian visibility splays may be required.

4. Design of Parking Spaces

The minimum acceptable dimensions for a car parking space will be:

length: 5.0 metres
width: 2.5 metres
headroom: 2.0 metres

Lorry parking spaces shall be a minimum of 18 metres by 5 metres.

5. Parking for People with Disabilities

In accordance with the requirements of Transport Proposal 16 and Recreation Proposal 1, 
adequate provision should be made both in terms of the type and position of parking spaces 
for people with disabilities.  Any parking provision should be made within 50 metres of the 
destination.  Spaces should be 3.6 metres wide or have a transfer area of 1.2 metres to one 
side of a standard size space.  3.2 metres wide spaces may be acceptable where space is 
limited.  Parking spaces should be clearly marked with the British Standard 'Disabled' 
symbol in accordance with BS3262 Part 1 and any parking fee concessions should be stated 
clearly at the parking space.

6. Access Requirements for Dwellings

a. No more than five dwellings may be built off a private drive.

b.	No more than 150 dwellings may be built off a single access.

7. Further detailed guidance on current good practice in highway design can be found in:

Design Bulletin 32 (1992): Residential Roads and Footpaths
Leicestershire County Council: Highway Requirements for Development.
Design Manual for Roads and Bridges