Reporting problems with pavements and maintenance of private streets :Cross Stitch – Home and community

Most councils are responsible for maintaining pavements, including making sure they are free from obstructions such as skips or scaffolding, and keeping them safe in icy conditions. On a private street, responsibility for maintenance lies with its owners, but you can apply to get the road adopted by the council.

Your council is usually responsible for making sure pavements are free from trip hazards and other defects to ensure public safety. This includes removing weeds, replacing broken or stolen slabs, supplying grit in icy conditions, and keeping pavements clear of snow.

The council is not however responsible for maintaining a private street. A private street is a street that is not maintained by the council. The responsibility for private streets lies with the street owners, usually those who live on the street. However, if a problem is thought to be a ‘danger’ (for example, a deep hole in the road suddenly appearing) the council can arrange to make it safe by placing barriers or road closures around the hazard. However, permanent repairs are then carried out by the owner or owners.

Obstructions can be a nuisance for pedestrians and can be in the form of:

• a skip or scaffolding obstructing the pavement
• no barriers around streetworks/roadworks and building work affecting pedestrian safety
• building materials blocking the pavement
• an advertising board blocking the pavement

If you encounter any of the above obstructions and would like to report it, please contact your local council. The following link will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority website where you can find out more.