Furious homeowners could be forced to pay £7,000 to park on their own driveways

Residents in Streatham Vale have expressed their outrage after being told they could be slapped with fees reaching £7,000 to park on their own driveways. Lambeth Council is pressing around 200 property owners across the area for substantial payments, as using undropped kerbs to access driveways is deemed illegal and causes damage to council pavements.

Those affected are now facing demands to obtain planning permission for dropped kerbs, as well as footing the bill for the construction, potentially costing approximately £7,000 each—£4,000 for the paperwork and almost £2,000 for the work.

Kevin Joyce, a 64-year-old lecturer, one of those impacted by the council's demands, said: "I've lived in this house for more than 30 years and when I bought it, the driveway never had a dropped kerb. It's never been a problem, the council have never said anything so why is it an issue now? To be honest, I never thought about making a dropped kerb, but I don't want to be cut off from my driveway so might have to pay to get one put in."

The residents have voiced their concerns to Mail Online, revealing that parking bays are set to be created outside their driveways which could hinder access to their properties. Fozia Aga, aged 55, expressed her frustration, claiming she had requested a dropped kerb three years prior but was turned down by the council, reports the Mirror.

She proceeded to construct a driveway regardless, yet now believes the council's plan is to "make money out of desperate motorists". Lambeth Council aims for net-zero emissions by 2030 and argues that this strategy will combat the "climate emergency", stating that "free unrestricted parking...has an impact on our climate."

A public consultation has been initiated regarding the possibility of implementing residents' parking permits in Streatham Vale. This comes after worries that the area had become a hotspot for commuters to leave their vehicles before heading into central London by train.

A council spokesperson told Mail Online: "It is illegal to drive a vehicle over the pavement without having an authorised vehicle crossover. This requires a resident to make an application, gain approval and pay for the works to adapt the highway to enable safe access."

The spokesperson also mentioned that unadapted pavements sustain damage from vehicles driving over them, which the council must mend, and there is also the danger of cars extending onto pavements and causing blockages. The Mirror contacted the authority for additional comments.