Markings /
Faults /
Street cleansing /
Enhancements and resurfacing /
Streetworks and other activities
Highways
The streets in the City are maintained to the highest standards
and are inspected at least once a month. Repairs are undertaken in
accordance with the results of these inspections. The inspections
also identify graffiti, damaged street furniture, and general
hazards on the highway.
Markings
Highway markings are laid and maintained throughout the City to
ensure that all road users have a safe environment in which to
travel. Bus lanes ensure that commuters can reach their
destinations on time. The network of cycle lanes provide cyclists
with a safe environment in which to travel around the City.
Road markings are found on all the
City Streets and are in accordance with the Traffic Signs
Regulations and General Directions Act 2002. They are updated
as necessary and repainted twice a year.
For more information on what the road markings mean you can look
at the
Highway Code web pages and for more detail
you can look at the
HMSO web page for the Traffic Signs Regulations
and General Directions Act 2002.
Footways
Click here for
information on footways, dropped kerbs and vehicle crossovers
across the pavement.
Faults
If you notice a fault of any kind, please report it
If you want to
report an accident or personal injury resulting from a highways
defect please click here.
Street cleansing
Click here for details of
street cleansing and
snow clearance.
Enhancements and
resurfacing
The Street Scene Initiative has recently been launched and has
involved a number of construction projects throughout the City in
order to improve the appearance of the City.
One example of a Street Scene Initiative is Devonshire Square,
off Cutler Street EC2 is shown here.
For more information on the
Street Scene Initiatives please click here.
Click here for details of our
resurfacing programme.
Streetworks and other
activities on the Highway
Beneath City streets there is a maze of pipes and cables to
which contractors frequently need access. Streets may need to be
closed or restricted for nearby construction works. In addition the
City of London may need to undertake essential maintenance work. To
avoid delays arising from any of these causes consult the
list of streetworks.
Public activities which take place within the City on the
highways or walkways will all have an impact on the public and it
is essential that this is kept to a minimum. For
information on public activities please click here.
Highways online is a
facility which can be used to request licences for scaffolding or
hoarding, temporary road closures, parking dispensations, parking
bay suspensions and abnormal loads, or to let us know about planned
streetworks.
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Abnormal
loads - notification
- A haulier who intend to move an abnormal load such as gross
weight exceeding 40 tonnes or more must notify and gain consent
from the police or the local authority..
-
Demonstrations
and parades - granting of permission
- Permission from local authorities will be needed for the
closure of roads to allow sporting events or parades to take
place.
-
Lighting -
street lights
- The local authority is responsible for maintenance and repairs
of street lights, and lighting faults including illuminated
bollards, signs and beacons.
-
Lighting -
traffic lights
- Placement and maintenance of traffic lights to improve traffic
safety and help reduce road accidents and hazards.
-
Pavements -
maintenance
- The local authority has responsibility for the maintenance of
pavements within the area. They should provide advice on reporting
dangerous pavements and what to do in the event of an accident
resulting from trip hazards (holes, uneven paving slabs etc.) on
the pavement.
-
Pavements -
obstructions
- Streetworks, roadworks, skips, scaffolds, hoardings,
advertising boards and building materials that block the pavement
are all considered to be causing an obstruction to pedestrians. The
council is responsible for ensuring that such obstructions are
removed.
-
Roads - access
to property
- Providing access to residential or commercial property over the
pavement i.e. dropped kerbs for vehicle access.
-
Roads - bridges
- The local authority is responsible for any highway bridges it
owns. These bridges should be inspected regularly and a programme
of maintenance work drawn up to ensure their safety.
-
Roads -
closures and diversions
- A traffic regulation order issued by the local authority where
works on the highway, or some large deliveries, require a road to
be closed temporarily to general traffic.
-
Roads -
gritting
- Gritting of primary and secondary roads within the local
authority area when weather conditions may prove hazardous (i.e.
freezing temperatures). The local authority may also provide grit
bins for public use on roads and pavements in potentially dangerous
areas.
-
Roads -
maintenance
- Maintenance and repair of potholes where the surface of the
road has been eroded posing a risk to road users.
-
Roads -
obstructions
- Highways must be kept clear of obstructions for safety reasons.
The local authority has the power to serve notice on a person who
commits an offence of wilful obstruction on the highway. In certain
circumstances the courts allow the highway authority to remove
obstructions and recover reasonable costs incurred in doing so from
the offender.
-
Roads -
road-works
- Notification of road closures, diversions and possible traffic
disruption as a result of road works that are underway or
programmed to take place within the area. Under the New Roads and
Street works Act 1991: s112 Local authorities are obliged to
publish a register of road adoptions and road works, which is
available for public inspection.
-
Roads - snow
clearance
- Keeping roads and pavements clear of snow and ice in severe
winter weather conditions.
-
Roads - speed
limits
- The local authority (often with the local police) is
responsible for setting speed limits on roads within their area. In
setting a speed limit the authority will consider the alignment of
the road , the speed most motorists expect to travel along this
road and the type of road and where it is located. Applications to
revise speed limits may be considered by the authority.
-
Roads - weight
limits
- The local authority can impose weight restrictions on public
roads for structural or for environmental reasons. Such
restrictions prevent large vehicles from using inappropriate roads,
routes and areas. It is the responsibility of the local authority
to monitor and deal with abuse of any imposed weight
restrictions.
-
Street
furniture - provision and maintenance
- Provision and maintenance of street furniture such as seating,
decorative lighting, cycle racks etc. to enhance local public
areas.
-
Street parking
- pavements
- Pavements are constructed and provided for pedestrian use. The
local authority has a responsibility to keep the roads and
footpaths safe to use.
-
Vehicle access -
kerbs
- The council will construct vehicle crossovers at the request of
residents. There is usually a charge payable for this service and
in some locations, such as on major highways, planning permission
may be required.