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Roads and footpaths

The council is responsible for maintaining and repairing the highways in North Lincolnshire. We carry out regular safety inspections and surveys to identify problems and ensure our roads, footpaths and street lighting remain in safe condition. Together with our own inspections, your reports help us identify where problems are and help us to put together our programme of work for the weeks ahead.

Should you wish to report a highways problem to us, or would like further Information about our roads, footpaths, street lighting or how to work on or near them please click on the appropriate link from the menu below.

We may already be aware of an issue that you have noticed. The dots on the map below indicate where an issue has been reported and is awaiting repair. Please be assured they are known to us and it will be on our schedule for inspection and repair so you do not need to report them. We hope to add more highways enquiry types to this map in the coming months.

More information

A pothole is a hollow in the road or footway where the surface has broken up, a defect is defined when positioned in the road surface 40mm or deeper and in the footway 20mm or deeper.

How quickly we repair a pothole depends on the risk it poses to road users. This can be difficult as all potholes present some risk, but the main factors considered are:

  • Size and depth of the pothole
  • Type of traffic using the road
  • Speed and volume of traffic
  • Road alignment and visibility of the pothole
  • Position of the pothole in the road
  • Potholes can also be on footpaths, pavements, and cycle paths.

If a pothole doesn’t meet the safety inspection levels set for repair, it will be monitored regularly as part of our routine safety inspections and surveys. In addition, some repairs are added to our future works programme.

The council is responsible for the design, installation and maintenance of all street lights, lighting columns and lampposts in North Lincolnshire.

There are currently around 22,800 street light columns and 2,300 illuminated traffic signs and bollards to look after.

How do I report a street light problem?

To report a problem with a street light (lamppost), an illuminated traffic sign or a bollard please use our Highway problem reporting form. If you are reporting a problem please leave your contact details where possible as we may need some further information about the fault.

In an emergency outside normal office hours contact 01724 276444

An emergency is classed as:

  • three or more columns in a row not working
  • column damaged, cover plate missing, wires exposed
  • column damaged by a road traffic collision
  • street light head hanging off
  • traffic bollard knocked down or missing

The street light outside my house is out or faulty

Use on the Highway problem reporting form to let us know. The more information you can give the better – for example, is the light out altogether, is it flickering, is it on all day or intermittent.

Please include the number of the column if you can. If you can’t see this please give the exact location or address of the house the light is outside.

How long will it take to repair?

Where possible this will be within five working days. If there is a problem with the electricity supply we will inform the electricity company (YEDL), who aim to repair the fault within 30 working days of receiving the report.

The metal plate at the base of the column has been removed, how soon will you attend?

We will aim to attend within two hours.

The lamppost outside my house is leaning or damaged

A street lighting electrician will come out to assess the damage and decide how urgent it is.

If the column has been hit by a vehicle and is leaning dangerously, or has collapsed, we will aim to attend within two hours of being advised of the problem.

Can the street lighting in my street be improved?

All changes, including improvement requests will be considered and prioritised.

We take into account the age and condition of the existing street lights and how much light they give out. However there is a limited budget and demand for lighting improvements substantially outweighs the available funding.

Related pages

It is an offence to obstruct free passage of the highway.

Obstructions are objects which have been put on or overhang the highway (this includes footpaths/pavements as well as the road itself). Obstructions can include:

  • builders skips;
  • scaffolding/hoardings;
  • builders materials;
  • temporary works including traffic lights;
  • overhanging tree branches, hedges;
  • mud and debris on the road;
  • mixing concrete/mortar on the highway;
  • unauthorised vendors/traders;
  • encroachment of highway boundaries;
  • discharge of water onto the highway;
  • blocking public rights of way;
  • plants and bushes;
  • illegal signs.

Encroachments are where someone has unlawfully assumed ownership of areas of the highway.

If a person deliberately obstructs the highway without lawful authority or excuse they are guilty of an offence. The council has legal powers to move the obstruction.

To report an obstruction to the highway please use our online form. This form can also be used to report other highway issues not listed above.

Parking on the highway

The police are the only people who can move vehicles on if they are causing an obstruction on the highway or are parked across an entrance to a property.

Placement of traffic lights

Traffic lights may be installed:

  • Because of possible traffic hazards;
  • To manage traffic flows from new developments and other places such as schools or leisure centres. In some cases developers will finance new signals.

Report a problem with our traffic lights

Temporary traffic lights

Temporary traffic lights normally control traffic at road works carried out by the council, private contractor or statutory undertakers (gas, electric, water).

If the temporary traffic lights are not working or there are long delays, please look for the courtesy board with the company name and contact details. If you phone them they should send someone out to correct the problem.

There is a procedure for individuals or companies who wish to use temporary traffic lights on the road. For guidance notes and an application form, please feel free to contact the Traffic team.

A Traffic Officer can arrange a site meeting to discuss the proposed location of works. They can also discuss the proposed start and end dates for the works to take place.

If you don’t have a proper driveway with a dropped kerb to get your vehicle on to your property and would like one, you must apply to the council by completing the application to open highway form. This is to make sure the work is done properly and to the right standard.

You will get an estimate for the cost before you decide to go ahead, but you will have to pay before the work is done.

Existing properties

If you would like to apply to have a dropped crossing (or dropped kerb) to your property please complete the online form below. If you experience any difficulties contact the North Lincolnshire Council Highways team for more information on 01724 297000.

You must get a NRSWA Accredited contractor to carry out the work, but the highway operations team must issue a licence first. Conditions do apply to the licence.

You will need to get planning permission for access from a classified road (that is an A or B class road, for example A18 or B1398).

If you live in a housing association property you will need to get permission from your landlord.

New properties or new developments

If your request is regarding an access to new properties or a development next to the highway please contact the Highway Development Services team for more information.

Contact

customerservice@northlincs.gov.uk

01724 297000

We, as highway authority, have responsibility for maintaining the highway. This includes pavements and footpaths.

Trip hazards are a key concern at all times. Weeds, standing water and ice tend to be more seasonal problems.

Parking on the pavements can cause damage to pavements, particularly to those built from paving slabs. If you see a vehicle causing damage to a pavement by parking on it, try and collect the vehicle details and report them to us. We can then recover the full cost of the repairs from the vehicle’s driver or owner.

Anyone carrying out work on the highway must, if necessary, provide a safe diversion for both pedestrians and other traffic.

If you  need to report any defects on the highway, pavements or footpaths please use our online highway problem reporting form.

Private streets

A private street is on that is not maintained by the council. Streets that are not adopted as part of the public highway are generally in poorer condition and usually do not have a proper bituminous surface.

The responsibility for private streets lies with the street owners. These are often the people who live in properties on the street.

How do I report a private street that is unsafe?

This is usually the responsibility of the owners. If the problem in dangerous, such as deep hole suddenly appearing, the council can make it safe. We can place barriers or road closures around the hazard but the owners need to arrange permanent repairs.

How do I report a problem with gullies and drains on a private street?

If the problem is dangerous (such as a missing gully lid) then the council will arrange to make it safe. It is responsibility of the owner to arrange permanent repairs.

How do I get a private street adopted?

To get a private street adopted it must be constructed to an adoptable standard. The cost of this must be met by the street owners.

The council does not have a budget for this cannot give any financial help.

Mud on the road can be a serious road safety risk and is something that can affect roads at any time of the year but is generally more of a problem when there is work going on in the fields. It can also cause difficulties close to building sites.

Clearing the road of mud is the responsibility of whoever put it there – usually the landowner or whoever is carrying out work on that land – however, even sweeping can still leave problem patches and every driver needs to be aware of the dangers.

Mud, particularly if it is wet, can be very slippery and cause vehicles to lose their grip on the road. For motorcyclists and cyclists this can be particularly dangerous as they are likely to come off their bike.

Whilst most farmers and builders will try to clear the road, drivers do need to take extra care whenever they see mud on the road or any warning signs. Drivers are advised to:

  • Slow down before you get to a muddy area;
  • If you are already in  a muddy area try not to brake – take your foot off the accelerator and slow down naturally;
  • Avoid harsh steering and acceleration.

If you see mud that has not been cleared, contact the Police giving the exact location of the problem. Where the landowner has not cleared mud from the road the council can clean it up and charge the person responsible for the full cost.

Surface dressing is the application of hot bitumen and stone chippings onto the road’s surface. It is very widely used and a low cost and effective method of highway maintenance.

If you wish to report a problem please use our online form:

Generally, land owners erect and maintain walls and fences that surround property and fields.  These provide security, privacy and mark boundaries between different landowners.

If you want to report a wall or fence next to a highway that is in a state of disrepair please use our online form:

We will maintain and repair:

  • walls supporting the structure of the highway – these are called highway retaining walls;
  • walls retaining land that has been excavated to form a highway parapet wall on bridges;
  • walls providing a safety barrier, for example, walls next to a steep drop.

Putting a skip on the highway without first applying for, and being granted a licence, is an offence under The Highways Act and may result in prosecution.

The skip owner (supplier) is responsible for making sure that their skips on the highway do not cause an obstruction to other road users. The supplier is also responsible for making sure that the regulations and licence conditions are followed.

Please note that it is the skip company’s responsibility to obtain a skip licence.

Before applying for a licence you are strongly advised to read our guidelines for placing a builder’s skip on the highway [DOC, 97Kb].

Charges for placing a skip on the highway

  • Up to seven days £29
  • Up to 14 days £40
  • Up to 28 days £79
  • Up to seven days renewal £29
  • Up to 14 days renewal £40
  • Up to 28 days renewal £79

If you are carrying out any building work or maintenance or you are removing any part of a property next to a public highway (road, pavement or rear lane) the safety of all highway users must protected.

Safe areas must be provided at ground level or a platform at a high level.

If you need to put hoardings on the highway around where you are working or on scaffolding, you must get permission from the council by completing the relevant forms.

You should carefully read the conditions of the licence and follow them at all times.

Charges for erecting scaffolding on the highway

  • 0 to 20 metres 14 days minimum £68
  • 0 to 20 metres 14 days renewal £68
  • 0 to 20 metres 28 days £103
  • 0 to 20 metres, 28 days renewal, £103
  • 21 to 40 metres, 14 days minimum, £92
  • 21 to 40 metres, 14 days renewal, £92
  • 21 to 40 metres, 28 days, £157
  • 21 to 40 metres, 28 days renewal, £157
  • 41 to 60 metres, 14 days minimum, £118
  • 41 to 60 metres, 14 days renewal, £118
  • 41 to 60 metres, 28 days, £195
  • 41 to 60 metres, 28 days renewal, £195

You can also download guidelines on the use of scaffolding over the highway and a paper Scaffolding Application Form [PDF, 1Mb].

Signs

The Highway Code gives examples of the most common road signs. They fall into certain groups:

  • signs giving orders – round with a red outer circle
  • warning signs – usually triangular
  • direction signs – mostly rectangular showing destinations. Some have junction or road plans
  • information signs – mostly rectangular

All signs on the road must be authorised by the council. Special signs are allowed with prior approval from the Department of Transport, or if they are experimental and under trial.

Tourism signing

Tourism signing gives an important opportunity for both tourism businesses and the local economy. Our policy on tourism signing is used positively and constructively.

Download the Tourism Signs Application Pack [PDF, 342Kb]

There is an advertising element to tourism signing as it helps generate more visits, but the main purpose is to safely guide people along the most appropriate routes. They can also show tourist facilities that people may not expect to find in that location.

Lines

Road markings are as important as signs and give a lot of information to road users.

Yellow lines are used along with a legal order to restrict parking in certain areas. This can be to improve traffic flow and prevent obstructions on the road.

There are only two types used:

  • double lines mean no waiting at any time but there are exceptions to this. Sign plates fixed to posts or street lights will tell you what the actual restrictions are
  • single lines usually show a shorter period of restriction, such as 8am to 6pm. Sign plates will show the actual times. Loading restrictions are shown by yellow marking on the kerb and on the sign plates

The Highway Code gives examples of the lines in normal use.

White lines on the road help road users by giving different types of information on lane use and directions.

Markings that go along the length of the road inform and warn drivers of hazards ahead that will need them to take action. For example a solid white line indicates that a driver must not cross or lane line indicates where a driver is to turn right.

Lines that go across the road give instructions such as where to stop or give Way.

All lines on the highway must be authorised by the council. Special lines can be used with approval from the Department for Transport or if they are experimental and under trial.

Download the Traffic signs, road marking and road studs policy [PDF, 6Mb].

Byelaws

Byelaws for Good rule and Government  [PDF, 2Mb] details the byelaws that came into effect in North Lincolnshire in June 2000, in relation to highways, carriageways and footways.

Other sites of interest

We have powers under The Highways Act that allows the gating of the highway.

Alley gating is a very simple crime prevention measure. It involves erecting steel, self locking gates to the ends of alleyways and passages that are the responsibility of the home owners who live around them. There are a number of other advantages in addition to reducing the levels of burglaries, including:

  • Reducing opportunities for people to cause annoyance – this could mean anything from drinking in alleys to taking drugs;
  • Fewer problems of dog fouling by stray dogs;
  • Safe play areas for children;
  • Improving community spirit, giving a sense of ownership of the alleys.

We are still deciding how best to use these powers as the guidance given for implementation requires a number of criteria to be met with regard to causes of crime.

Contact details

customerservice@northlincs.gov.uk
01724 297000

Highways
North Lincolnshire Council
8-9 Billet Lane
Normanby Enterprise Park
Scunthorpe
DN15 9YH