Highway hazards

Highway safety defects might include problems such as:

Potholes or carriageway crazing/fretting or edge failure
Footway (pavement) defects such as potholes
Broken, loose or missing ironwork
Ice and Snow
Broken or faulty street lighting
Broken or faulty traffic lights.
Loose or broken kerbs or paving slabs
Blocked drains/gullies, culverts or drainage ditches
Tall grass
Overhanging tree branches or dangerous trees
Dirty or broken non-illuminated traffic signs.

Other highway hazards

The following describes potential hazards that can occur on Staffordshire’s road network.

Mud or loose material on the road

Mud or muck deposited on the highway perhaps by farm animals and machinery or construction traffic, causes inconvenience to the public, brings the agriculture and construction industries into disrepute and, most importantly, puts at risk other roads users and can lead to serious accidents.

Harvest traffic can mean an increased risk of high levels of mud getting onto the roads and it is essential that those responsible take steps to minimise its impact.

The rules apply for any other material deposited onto the highway, for example; if grain, gravel, bricks or other produce is spilled this can represent just as serious a hazard as mud.

These problems can be reduced by the construction of hard standing areas on private land at gateways or providing wheel washing facilities off the highway. Operative should ensure that any excess materials which might be overhanging are removed before being driven onto the highway.

Operators of muck-spreading machines should ensure the settings are such that manure is not thrown over the hedge/fence on to the public highway. This is an offence which can be prevented.

Water run-off

A landowner is responsible for mud, water and other matter running off fields and on to the carriageway. Under the Highways Act 1980, Section 151, the Local Authority may, by notice to the owner or occupier require them to undertake works to prevent soil or refuse from their land from falling, or being washed or carried, on to the street or into any sewer or gully in it. Landowners or occupiers can ultimately risk receiving fines if they have received a notice under this section of the Act and failed to comply with it.

Pre-planning can sometimes prevent these problems however. On difficult sites, cultivation across a slope (where it is safe to do so) will reduce the problem of rapid run-off.

If mud or water is deposited on the carriageway, then those responsible for the deposit should remove it without delay.

In exceptional circumstances, the Highway Authority may erect a slippery-road sign if we have received a report about the issue and conditions necessitate this, whilst those responsible organise work to complete the clean-up. However, the placing of this warning sign does not automatically absolve those responsible for the mud should an accident occur.

Those undertaking the cleaning-up will require protection at the site of the work by the provision of a suitable warning sign. Where sightlines are poor additional provisions may be necessary.

Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980 states:

“…If a person, without lawful authority or excuse, in any way obstructs the free passage along a highway he is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine…”

Section 148 states:

“…If a person deposits on a made up carriageway any dung, compost, or other material for dressing land, or any rubbish, or anything whatsoever on a highway to the interruption of any user of the highway, he is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine…”

Fly-tipping

Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste on the public highway or other public areas. District / borough councils and the Environment Agency are responsible for removing this waste.

Road sweeping

Road sweeping is used to clear roads and footways of leaf fall and other loose material and detritus. This is classed as a street cleansing function and this service is not undertaken by ourselves.

You can request road sweeping using the below links to the district/borough councils:

Road Traffic Collision (RTC)

Our reactive highway inspectors, maintenance operatives and call-out officers are often called to assist police with RTC incidents. Our attendance may involve placing out signs, closing roads or diverting traffic and assisting with moving away vehicle/property debris or cleaning up oil spillages.

Live animals on the highway

Drivers must stop and report accidents to the police if they involve a collision with dogs, horses, deer, cattle e.g. cows, pigs, goats, sheep, donkeys and mules.

These incidents must be reported to the police as soon as possible, whether the animal is killed or not.