Table 1 – Frequency of Highway Inspections Highway Type Hierarchy category Safety Inspection Frequency Service Inspection Frequency* Carriageways Strategic route Main distributor Secondary distributor Link road (Locally Important Roads) Local access roads (All other roads) 2 3a 3b 4a 4b 1 month 1 month 1 month 3 months 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year Footways Prestige Area Primary walking route (incl shared use facilities) Secondary walking route (incl shared use facilities) Link footway Local access footway 1(a) 1 2 3 4 1 month 1 month 3 months 6 months 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year Cycleways Not remote from Carriageway Remote from Carriageway / Cycle Trails (when highway maintainable at public expense) A B As CWay 6 months As CWay 1 year *Service Inspection – an enhanced safety inspection with additional information recorded on overall condition It may be necessary to inspect certain highways at a higher frequency than shown above when there are particular hazards, e.g. a highway is deteriorating quickly or a road being used as a diversion route for 1 month or more. Any agreed additional (ad-hoc) inspections will need recording in the Highway Asset Management System.
signing / treatment or removal of hazard Drainage covers etc. * Defective gully grates, manholes, service covers etc.constituting a hazard, especially for powered 2 wheeled vehicles and cyclists Missing or collapsed covers. 20mm trip within the frame. Broken gully grates, manholes, service covers etc As 2L unless likely to deteriorate within 28 days. Also Drainage gully grate with grating parallel to kerb. Not Applicable Utility should be dealt with under NRSWA Section 81. Cat 1 defects should be made safe if full repair is not possible within a maximum 24 hours Surface water * Ponding / discharging across highway. Constituting a hazard of aquaplaning, vehicle avoidance measures or skidding, especially during winter. Where excess water requires signing and guarding Minor discharge across the carriageway. Not Applicable Where applicable serve notice to landowner. During Winter, winter maintenance manager needs to be informed. Displaced level crossing pads. Must be reported to Network Rail as soon as possible Must be reported to Network Rail as soon as possible Not Applicable Not Applicable Longitudinal and transverse trenches* (Stats/ NCC) Refer to NRSWA tolerances in 2002 NRSWA Specification and Table 2 for NCC tolerances Refer to NRSWA tolerances in 2002 NRSWA Specification appendix and Table 2 for NCC tolerances Refer to NRSWA tolerances in 2002 NRSWA Specification appendix and Table 2 for NCC tolerances Utility should be dealt with under NRSWA Section 81, but defect must be made safe. Repair should be undertaken if utility does not respond to Section 81 notice. *Subject to Risk Assessment as detailed in Section 11c.
Verges/Visibility Defect Cat. 1 Defect if: Cat. 2H Defect if: Cat. 2L Defect if: Additional advice Overgrown verges/vegetation or obstruction at road junctions and roundabouts Overgrown verges / vegetation or obstruction to footway Nuisance Items in the verge Visibility at junctions & roundabouts severely restricted. Footway impassable Items causing an immediate danger See section 11 b (i) definition above See section 11 b (i) definition above See section 11 b (i) definition above Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Contact 3rd parties and service notice if appropriate for Cat 2 Contact 3rd parties and serve notice if appropriate for Cat 2
Street Lighting ALL ELECTRICAL HAZARDS MUST BE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY TO STREET LIGHTING TEAM Lighting column or illuminated sign knocked down. Exposed live electrical wiring. Lighting column or illuminated sign minor damage. Lighting column or illuminated sign inspection door loose. Illuminated bollard damaged, missing or unlit. Lighting column or illuminated sign minor damage. Lighting column or illuminated sign inspection door loose. Illuminated bollard damaged, missing or unlit. Cat 2H or 2L to be determined based on severity of damage and location of apparatus Traffic Signals ALL SIGNAL DAMAGE MUST BE REPORTED TO THE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTRE Exposed live electrical wiring. Seriously damaged or defective traffic signals; Not applicable Not applicable
Fencing / Barriers* Safety fencing Private fencing Pedestrian barriers Knee rail fencing Highway fencing Obviously damaged fencing or barriers causing immediate danger to highway users See section 11 b (i) definition above See section 11 B (ii) definition above Contact 3rd parties and service notice if appropriate for private fencing. *Subject to Risk Assessment as detailed in Section 11c.