Being flooded! - surface laid above waterline! - What do i do?!

[dw89]

Hi All,

First post (didn't realise there was a forum!) but I've been using this fantastic resource for almost as long as I can remember. Without doubt the best one on the net. Without it I wouldn't have been able to tackle so many projects on my Self-Build so thankyou Tony:)

Anyway. Very recently we have had our 'ailing' carriageway resurfaced (i.e road closed, planed off and new surface). The surface itself is great 'but' for some completely unknown reason they have laid it, probably 2-4mm below the very top of the drop kerbs (if that). I can't even seen the radius; let alone the waterline. The consequence of which, with a drastically sloping drive (and the road camber too), is that I am getting flooded every time it rains. By this I mean that a 'considerable' amount of road water floods over the top of the kerbs all the way down my drive. This was 'not' the case beforehand...there was at least 20mm.

So, what do I do? Where is the law/code/legislation on how high they are allowed to go to 'specification' of laying new surfaces. I have contacted the contractor and am waiting for a visit but I'd love to be fore-armed so to speak. I know what I can 'see' and read on paving expert.com but, no doubt, they will only rely on whatever official 'code' exists and not 'just some hearsay' on the internet (which no doubt would be the retort).

Please help me. I don't see why I should have to pay to get a 'hump' of tarmac installed at the start of my drive because they cannot get their levels right!

Thanks in advance for your help

KR, Dave

PS It's not just my drive; it's the same on my neighbours and, no doubt, further down too.

[Tony McC]

In practice, we always laid to the bottom of that bull-nose on the crossing kerbs, which left 20mm or so proud to act as a check to surface water.

Then, litigious people unable to pick up their feet when walking, started claiming it was a trip hazard and planning a free holiday to Florida at the taxpayers' expense.

This was further exacerbated by wheelchair users and mams-with-prams claiming it was a but of a nuisance to traverse a 15-25mm 'bump' on the pavement.

And so, in far too many local authorities, we now have a situation where the surfacing is laid to a level that is only 3-8mm below the top of the kerb. No bump, or very little, but also very little check to inundation by surface water!

The legal position is that it is the responsibility of the LA Highways Dept to set their preferred surfacing level. We get variation with "full" kerbs: some LA's prefer 100mm check; others 125mm, and now we are seeing it all to often with crossing kerbs, which used to be fairly standard at 15-25mm.

If you are getting surface water back-washing onto your property, the LA *will* be liable. You need to photo/video the actual inundation and make a nuisance of yourself. Budgets are exceptionally tight at the moment, but if they think you might take legal action to protect *your* property from *their* surface water, they will somehow find the funds to carry out whatever remedials are required, whether that's re-surfacing, lifting the kerb, or installing an interceptor drain.

[dw89]

Thankyou ever so much Tony for your advice:D

I have sent an email to 'Via' and included video and photo evidence from before and after. My drive continues to fall 'down' from the drop kerb so, if water goes over them, it fills up (and with 'rubbish' blocked) my SUDs tank and creates a river down the drive. Amazing just how much water comes off roads when it's falling in your direction with absolutely no road drainage at all!

I will keep you posted as to what response I get. I should imagine it will be the 'fob off' to start off with. I'm not scared to get it sorted though one way or another!

Thanks again for your amazing resource:)

KR, Dave

[dig dug dan]

It works both ways. You are not allowed to discharge surface water onto their highway, and vice versa. Assuming its not a private road however.?