Dropped kerb application refused due to "highway safety" — any experience?

Applied for a dropped kerb to create a parking space in our front garden. The council refused on highway safety grounds saying the visibility splays are insufficient.

We had a highways engineer survey it privately and they said the splays meet the minimum standards. The council's own drawing seems to measure from the wrong point (they measured from the property boundary, not the proposed kerb line).

Has anyone successfully challenged a dropped kerb refusal? Is it worth a formal appeal or should we just redesign?

Challenge it. Write to the highways department with your engineer's report and specifically reference where their measurement differs from the standard. Include a diagram.

If they still refuse, you can appeal to the Magistrates' Court under Section 121 of the Highways Act. It's rare but it does happen — and councils usually back down before it gets that far because they don't want to lose.

Didn't know about the Magistrates' Court route. That's really useful leverage even if we don't use it. Thanks.