Disruption to Barrow online services
From 5pm on Friday 16 October 2026, there may be disruption to some online services in the Barrow area.
Report a pothole
Find out how to report problems with potholes.
Deep potholes require an urgent response, as they are a potential danger to road users.
If you see a pothole on a road, you can tell us using our online reporting form.
Our online reporting form takes around 3 to 5 minutes to complete.
How we assess reports
To help us investigate your report, please tell us:
- where the pothole is
- approximately how big or deep the pothole is
- whether it could be dangerous
- add a photo if it is safe to take one
The more information you provide, the easier it will be for us to find and assess the pothole.
To report an emergency that needs immediate attention, please call us on 0300 373 3306. An emergency on the highway is something that is very likely to present a threat to life, serious injury or serious damage to property. Our team will assess the severity of your report and escalate accordingly.
How we decide if a pothole needs repair
Our Highway Officers inspect reported potholes and consider:
- how deep the pothole is
- where it is
- how busy the road is
- the risk to people using the road
Investigatory levels
We will usually investigate potholes that are:
- 40mm deep on main roads and roads in towns
- 60mm deep on smaller rural roads
A pothole that reaches these depths will not always be repaired straight away. We carry out a risk assessment before deciding what action is needed.
What happens after you submit a report
We aim to assess reports within 5 working days.
If the pothole needs repair, we will arrange the work and give it a priority based on the level of risk.
If the pothole does not need repair at that time, we may check it again during future inspections or if we receive more reports.
How we prioritise repairs
We assess defects using our Highway Condition and Safety Inspection Procedure and classify them as:
- Emergency Defect – we will make the defect safe as quickly as possible, usually within 2 hours
- High Priority Defect – we will repair the defect within 5 working days
- Standard Priority Defect – we will repair the defect within 20 working days
- Monitor Only – we will record the defect and continue to monitor it through future inspections
We carry out a site-specific risk assessment for every defect before deciding what action to take. This means a defect that meets an investigatory level may not always require immediate repair.