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Tarmac Driveways Norwich
New tarmac access road through a car park

Tarmac car parks and access roads in Norwich

Tarmac Driveways Norwich surfaces car parks, yards and private access roads for businesses, churches, schools and residents' groups in Norwich and across Norfolk.

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Tarmac for car parks, yards and private roads

A car park or a shared private road carries far more traffic than a house drive, and often heavier vehicles: delivery vans, bin lorries, coaches or farm machinery. The surface is built the same way as a driveway, with a dug-out, a compacted stone sub-base and layers of tarmac, but the depths, the materials and the drainage are set for the weight and the number of vehicles, and for water from a much larger area.

We surface new car parks and access roads, resurface worn ones and repair the potholes and failed patches in between. The work is planned around the people who use the space, so a business can keep trading and residents can still get in and out, often by working in sections.

A car park is more than a surface. Bay layout, line marking, kerbs, drainage gullies and the way the entrance meets the public road all decide how well it works, and they are planned before the tarmac goes down.

Freshly surfaced tarmac entrance lane between trees

What is included

Depending on the site, a car park or access road job includes:

  • Site surveyMeasuring the area, checking levels and falls, and working out how vehicles enter, move and park.
  • Excavation and sub-baseDigging out and building a compacted base to suit the traffic and the ground.
  • Kerbs and edgingSetting kerbs to edges, islands and footpaths.
  • DrainageFalls, channel drains, gullies or soakaways sized for the area.
  • Binder and surface coursesLaying the tarmac in layers to the agreed depth.
  • Line markingBays, arrows, hatching and markings for accessible spaces, applied once the surface is ready.
  • PhasingWorking in sections where the site needs to stay open.

What to plan before you book

Car parks and shared roads raise a few questions early on.

  • Who uses it and when

    Tell us the busiest times and the largest vehicles that use the site, so the build and the timing suit them.

  • Drainage rules

    A large new hard surface may need planning permission and a drainage design. Check with the local planning authority early.

  • The public road

    Work where the entrance meets the public highway needs permission from Norfolk County Council.

  • Shared ownership

    On a private road shared by several homes, agree between owners who is paying and who decides before work is booked.

  • Bay layout

    Decide how many spaces you need, where accessible bays go and how people will walk through the site.

Good to know

  • Heavy traffic needs a deeper build

    A surface that would last for years on a house drive can fail quickly under lorries. The base is sized for the heaviest vehicle.

  • Lines need a cured surface

    Line marking goes down once the tarmac has had time to settle, so it may be a separate visit.

  • Phased work keeps sites open

    Doing half the car park at a time lets most businesses keep running during the work.

  • Repairs extend its life

    Sealing cracks and fixing potholes promptly keeps a car park in use for longer before it needs resurfacing.

How a car park or access road job runs

  1. Step 1: Survey

    We visit, measure up and talk through how the site is used and what it needs.

  2. Step 2: Proposal and quote

    You get a written quote with the build-up, drainage, kerbs, markings and how the work will be phased.

  3. Step 3: Programme

    We agree dates and the order of work so the site can stay as open as possible.

  4. Step 4: Build

    Excavation, base, drainage and tarmac in each section.

  5. Step 5: Marking and handover

    Lines are applied and the site handed back ready to use.

Questions about car parks and access roads

Can you work while our business stays open?

Usually, by surfacing the car park in sections and keeping a route in and out.

Do we need planning permission?

Resurfacing an existing car park usually does not. A new car park, or a large new hard surface, may need permission and a drainage plan.

Can you mark out the bays?

Yes. Line marking for bays, accessible spaces, arrows and hatching can be part of the job.

Can you repair our potholes rather than resurface?

Yes. Individual failed areas can be cut out and rebuilt if the rest of the surface is sound.

Do you surface private roads shared by several homes?

Yes. We quote for the whole road and can work with a residents' group or a management company.

How is a car park drained?

With falls to channel drains, gullies or soakaways, sized for the area and the ground.

Other tarmac work we do

  1. Tarmac driveways

    New tarmac driveways laid on a properly built base, with edging and drainage planned in.

  2. Tarmac resurfacing

    A fresh tarmac surface over a driveway whose base is still sound.

  3. Tarmac repairs

    Potholes, cracks and sunken patches cut out and made good.

  4. Tar and chip driveways

    Hot bitumen and stone chippings for a textured, gravel-look finish.

Need a car park or private road surfaced?

Tell us about the site, how it is used and where it is, and we'll reply to talk it through and give you a price.

Get a quote