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Detached / Details / Accommodating Cars / Designing the driveway, shared accessway or lane /

4.3Lanes

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​​Design Checklist​

  1. Any lane that provides access to multiple houses is designed to accommodate​ and be attractive to pedestrians.​

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​​​​With larger developments, lanes should have the same design qualities as a public road.

Some lanes serving a small number of houses may have shared surfaces for cars and pedestrians. In particular, this applies to lanes that are short, are not through routes, and where the geometry of the lane means that vehicle speeds will be low. Where a shared surface is provided, the lane should be wide enough to provide enough space for both vehicles and pedestrians.​

Better Design Practice

Slow-speed design initiatives that can help to make driveways and shared accessways safer for pedestrians and cyclists include: 
  • Speed bumps or other forms of sharp level changes.
  • Indirect lines of travel that require drivers to change direction, such as chicanes or staggered curb buildouts.
  • Rumble strips, noisy paving or tactile paving that causes vehicle vibrations. These can encourage a 10 to 20kph driver speed without the need for signage or markings.​

On-site rubbish storage areas should be screened in well designed enclosures.
This is to ensure they don’t detract from visual amenity. 

​Mature landscaping and water sensitive design devices such as swales along driveways or grouped parking areas surfaced with high-performing permeable pavers, can add amenity and value to the development. 

​Lights should be placed at regular intervals and at lower heights along the driveway or accessway.
Sensor or timer lighting is also encouraged on front doors and porches to improve sight-lines at night. Make the lane clearly accessible to the public, and consider a footpath or carefully designed shared space, if the lane serves six houses or more. 

Ensure houses overlook and address the lane. 

Avoid any large areas of asphalt or concrete.
Consider expressing joints in the paving, using modular paving or breaking up any large areas of hard surface with a second material. Use planting to provide further visual interest.

Use appropriate landscaping and lighting to provide good visibility and make the lane attractive and safe. 

Where the site is next to a park or open space, the lane should run the length of the common boundary with the park.
If any fencing is required on this boundary, permeable (e.g. pool) fencing is preferred. This increases passive surveillance of the park, removes graffiti opportunities and increases safety and security for the park and residents.