Report a pothole

We inspect adopted roads in the borough regularly to identify defects such as potholes. We then assess the risk posed by these defects, and prioritise them for repair.

We're not responsible for repairing potholes on:

• private roads - repairs should be carried out by the landowner
• un-adopted roads - repairs should be carried out by the developer
• trunk roads - repairs should be carried out by National Highways

Types of road defect

Before making a pothole report, check to see if the defect is classed as a pothole or a different type of road defect.

Potholes

If the defect looks similar to the pothole in the photo below, you should report this to us so we can assess if it needs repair or ongoing monitoring. We'll repair potholes which exceed the following sizes:

• on roads - width 150mm (6 inches) and depth 50mm (2 inches)
• on pavements - width 75mm (3 inches) and depth 25mm (1 inch)
• on pedestrian crossing points across a road - width 75mm (3 inches) and depth 25mm (1 inch)

Carriageway stripping/surface erosion

Road surface erosion or stripping similar to those in the photo below wouldn't meet our criteria for safety defect repairs, or be considered a risk to road users at this time. No repair work would be scheduled, but we'd continue to monitor the location during our routine inspections and carry out repairs if the condition of the road changed.

Surface cracking/crazing

Road surface cracking or crazing similar to those in the photo below wouldn't meet our criteria for safety defect repairs, or be considered a risk to road users at this time. No repair work would be scheduled, but we'd continue to monitor the location during our routine inspections and carry out repairs if the condition of the road changed.

Before making your report

If the defect you need to report is a pothole, you can check if it's already been reported to us on the map below. You can also check the status of existing reports by selecting a pin on the map.

Reporting a pothole

If the pothole you want to report isn't on the map, you can tell us about it using our online form.

If the pothole poses an immediate danger to public safety, call our 24 hour emergency helpline on 01226 773555. One of our highways inspectors will then visit the site to check the damage straight away.

Don't use the form to report potholes on:

• trunk roads, such as the: 
  • A61 (from M1 J36 to the A616 roundabout)
  • A616 (from M1 J35A to the A628 Flouch roundabout)
  • A628 (from Flouch roundabout to the borough boundary at Saltersbrook Bridge)
    Contact National Highways on 0300 123 5000 to report potholes on these roads.
    
• private roads - contact the road landowner to report the pothole

You'll need to show us on a map where the pothole is by clicking to drop a pin, and tell us as much detail as you can about the damage. You can upload a photo of the pothole as well, if you have one.

Reports won't be picked up outside office hours or over bank holidays, so if the damage needs urgent attention, please call our helpline.

After you've made your report

After you've submitted the form, the pothole you’ve reported will show as a new pin on the map. You might need to wait a couple of minutes and refresh the page before it appears. The pin will stay on the map for at least 28 days, during which time you can come back to this webpage to check the status of your report.

The pins on the map show the following type of report:

• Newly reported (orange pins) - new pothole reports made in the last 24 hours.
• In progress (green pins) - reports which are currently being investigated.
• Closed (blue pins) - reports which have been investigated and any necessary actions planned. This doesn't always mean a repair has been completed, or that the issue has been fully resolved yet. You can select the pin on the map to see a more detailed status and what this means.

Once the pin drops off the map, you won't be able make further enquiries about your report unless you have your reference number.

What we'll do

We investigate all reported potholes. For a pothole to be fixed, it has to be an 'actionable defect' in line with defined guidelines.

How quickly we repair a pothole depends on how it's categorised, taking into account:

• the location
• depth and size
• type of road it's on
• risk to pedestrians and motorists

If the defect is an emergency, we'll make a temporary repair within 24 hours to make it safe, followed by a permanent repair at a later date if required. Most potholes are classed as non-urgent, and will be scheduled for repair as part of our planned maintenance programme.

If we can't find the pothole when we visit the site, and are unable to get in contact with you for more information, we'll close the report.