Pavements - Maintenance

Cumbria County Council has responsibility for the maintenance of highways, including pavements or footways, except for motorways, trunk roads and minor urban roads in Carlisle. 

Trip hazards on pavements are a key concern at all times whilst the problems of weeds, standing water and ice tend to be more seasonal. Trip hazards and other defects on pavements are identified through inspections and other means, including reports from the public. 

Maintenance standards for footways and cycleways do not necessarily reflect the classification of any adjacent road. They are determined by the amount of pedestrian usage and by local factors. 

A hierarchy of footways and cycleways has been identified for the county as recommended by the Local Authority Association ‘Code of Practice’. The hierarchy reflects the level of use and other local factors and all pavements have been placed into appropriate levels of the hierarchy. 

The following defects in footways are normally categorised as Category 1 defects: 

• Dangerously rocking paving slabs
• Projections greater than 20mm high (including manhole frames, boxes etc)
• Cracks or gaps between flags greater than 20mm wide and more than 20mm deep
• Isolated potholes     

Category 1 defects are those which are dangerous or potentially dangerous and which require prompt attention. They are sub-divided into immediate, one working day and five working day categories, depending on their severity and location. For defects which are not considered dangerous, the level and speed of response will vary depending on the position of the footway in the hierarchy, the budget available and the scale and location of the defect. 

Growth of weeds is generally prevented by weed spraying, but individual problems are dealt with by specific action. 

Standing water can be prevented by reshaping the surface, and ice is treated as part of winter maintenance operations. 

Pavements, particularly those constructed of paving slabs, can suffer very badly from overriding vehicles. 

Please note: In the case of damage, it is important, if possible, to report the vehicle details/findings so that the council can recover the full cost of repairs to the pavement from the person responsible for causing the damage. 

When works are being undertaken on the highway (including the pavement/footway), the organisation carrying out those works, generally a utility company, is responsible for the safety of pedestrians during the works. They must ensure, where necessary, -that there is a safe diversionary route and that the highway is reinstated to a prescribed standard. All utilities must provide an information board at every site so that complaints and queries can reach the responsible organisation. 

We encourage you to report any defects to the Cumbria Highways Hotline which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The Hotline number is charged at local rate.  When calling the Hotline please be prepared with details of the defect and its precise location.