Kingston Council to Review Vehicle Crossover Policy

18 October 2025

Kingston Council is set to review its Vehicle Crossover Policy following a motion proposed at the council meeting on 14 October 2025. The review aims to address concerns that the current policy isn't adequately balancing highway safety with the practical needs of residents.

The motion, put forward by Councillor Yvonne Tracey, Opposition Spokesperson for Social Care (including Education), Public Health and Equalities, and seconded by Councillor James Giles, Leader of the Opposition; Opposition Spokesperson for Housing, Sustainable Transport, Waste and Recycling, Climate Action, Biodiversity and Planning Policy, seeks to address concerns regarding the current policy's restrictions on grass verge depth and the lack of an appeals process. Councillor Tracey's motion notes that the current policy requires applicants to demonstrate a minimum space of 3x4.6m, leading to application refusals despite adequate space for safe off-street parking. It also states that many applications are refused for grass verges deemed too deep beyond 2.0m, even when safe crossovers could be installed, creating disparities, especially in Berrylands where deep grass verges are common. This suggests the policy is not balancing safety and resident needs due to rigid application of these criteria.

The current policy requires applicants to demonstrate a minimum space of 3x4.6m for a crossover, and many applications are being refused where grass verges are deemed too deep beyond 2.0m. Councillor Tracey's motion notes that prior to 2019, rejected crossover applications could be referred to the relevant Neighbourhood Committee for determination by elected Members.

The motion states that crossover policy should balance highway safety with the practical needs of residents, and that rigidly applying a 2-metre depth maximum on grass verges or disallowing applications on the grounds of short driveways does not always achieve this balance.

The council has resolved to:

Review and amend the policy on grass verges so that deep verges do not automatically prevent residents from being granted a crossover, where it is otherwise safe and practical to do so, especially where many dropped curbs already exist on a street with deep grass verges.
Reinstate within the policy an appeals process, especially where the 3x4.6m requirement is the barrier, whereby rejected crossover applications can be referred to the relevant Neighbourhood Committee for final determination by elected councillors.

The Place Committee will use the criteria of safety and practicality when reviewing and amending the policy regarding grass verges. The reinstated appeals process to the Neighbourhood Committee will allow rejected crossover applications to be referred for final determination by elected councillors, especially where the 3x4.6m requirement is the barrier. This suggests that the amended policy may address issues related to the 3x4.6m space requirement.

The motion was referred to the Place Committee for further consideration. The full Public Reports Pack for the meeting is available online.

Councils Involved

Kingston upon Thames

Meetings Involved

the Council of Kingston upon Thames Council on 14 October 2025

People Involved

Afy Afilaka Liberal Democrat Hook and Chessington North Ward

Councillor Sue Ansari Deputy Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Liberal Democrat Hook and Chessington North Ward

Councillor Rowena Bass Leader of the Minority Opposition Group Conservative Coombe Hill Ward

Councillor Mark Beynon Chair of Planning Committee Liberal Democrat King George's and Sunray Ward

Andrew Bolton Liberal Democrat Coombe Vale Ward

Jamal Chohan Deputy Leader of the Opposition; Opposition Spokesperson for Leisure and Economic Development Kingston Independent Residents Group Tudor Ward

Councillor Emily Davey Portfolio Holder for Housing & Co-Chair - People Committee Liberal Democrat Norbiton Ward

Jackie Davies Liberal Democrat Berrylands Ward

Councillor Lorraine Dunstone Chair - South of the Borough Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat Hook and Chessington North Ward

Councillor Mark Durrant Liberal Democrat New Malden Village Ward

Councillor Ian George Conservative Coombe Hill Ward

Councillor James Giles Leader of the Opposition; Opposition Spokesperson for Housing, Sustainable Transport, Waste and Recycling, Climate Action, Biodiversity and Planning Policy Kingston Independent Residents Group Green Lane and St James Ward

Mariana Goncalves Liberal Democrat Tolworth Ward

Liz Green Chair of the Health Overview Panel Liberal Democrat St. Mark's and Seething Wells Ward

Councillor Helen Grocott Liberal Democrat King George's and Sunray Ward

Councillor Noel Hadjimichael Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Liberal Democrat Canbury Gardens Ward

Patrick Hall Chair of Pension Fund Panel Liberal Democrat Tudor Ward

Councillor Sabah Hamed Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Equalities and Co-Chair - People Committee Liberal Democrat Kingston Gate Ward

Councillor Roger Hayes Liberal Democrat Kingston Town Ward

Councillor Lesley Heap Chair - New and Old Malden Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat New Malden Village Ward

Lynn Henderson Chair - Audit, Governance & Standards Committee Liberal Democrat Motspur Park and Old Malden East Ward

Peter Herlinger Liberal Democrat Alexandra Ward

Councillor Alison Holt Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Economic Development & Co-Chair - Place Committee Liberal Democrat Surbiton Hill Ward

Councillor Amir Ali Khan Liberal Democrat Surbiton Hill Ward

Councillor Robert Dongsung Kim Liberal Democrat New Malden Village Ward

Councillor Andreas Kirsch Leader of the Council & Portfolio Holder for Heritage and Culture and Co-Chair - Corporate and Resources Committee Liberal Democrat Chessington South and Malden Rushett Ward

Councillor Griseldis Kirsch Liberal Democrat Chessington South and Malden Rushett Ward

Kamala Kugan Opposition Spokesperson for Corporate and Resources Kingston Independent Residents Group Coombe Vale Ward

Councillor Ian Manders Portfolio Holder for Climate Action, Biodiversity and Planning Policy & Co-Chair - Place Committee Liberal Democrat Alexandra Ward

James Manthel Liberal Democrat Canbury Gardens Ward

Councillor Mike Massimi Liberal Democrat Old Malden Ward

Councillor Sharukh Mirza Liberal Democrat Chessington South and Malden Rushett Ward

Councillor Nicola Nardelli Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Transport, Waste and Recycling and Co-Chair - Place Committee Liberal Democrat Kingston Town Ward

Anne Owen Liberal Democrat Kingston Gate Ward

Councillor Elizabeth Park Liberal Democrat Old Malden Ward

Councillor Tom Reeve Chair - Surbiton Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat Surbiton Hill Ward

Farshid Sadr-Hashemi Liberal Democrat Kingston Gate Ward

Councillor Anita Schaper Portfolio Holder for Communities, Commissioning and Customer Contact and Co-Chair - Corporate and Resources Committee Liberal Democrat Berrylands Ward

Councillor Andrew Sillett Chair - Licensing Committee Liberal Democrat Coombe Vale Ward

Susan Skipwith Liberal Democrat Norbiton Ward

John Sweeney Liberal Democrat Kingston Town Ward

Councillor Thay Thayalan Liberal Democrat Tolworth Ward

Richard Thorpe Portfolio Holder for Finance, Assets and Governance and Co-Chair - Corporate and Resources Committee Liberal Democrat Motspur Park and Old Malden East Ward

Councillor Yvonne Tracey Opposition Spokesperson for Social Care (including Education), Public Health and Equalities Kingston Independent Residents Group Green Lane and St James Ward

Councillor Olly Wehring Chair - Kingston and North Kingston Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat Norbiton Ward

Diane White Portfolio Holder for Children's Services (including Education) and Co-Chair - People Committee Liberal Democrat St. Mark's and Seething Wells Ward

Councillor Andrew Wooldridge Liberal Democrat Tolworth Ward

Councillor Yogan Yoganathan Liberal Democrat St. Mark's and Seething Wells Ward

Topics

Kingston Council Vehicle Crossover Policy Yvonne Tracey Councillor James Giles Highway safety Opposition Spokesperson for Social Care (including Education), Public Health and Equalities Leader of the Opposition Climate Action