Report a problem with a roadside wall

Roadside walls, also known as retaining walls, can support the highway and protect road users.

If you see a damaged roadside wall, 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

Please tell us:

• the location of the damaged roadside wall
• the extent of the issue
• photographs if available

If you are reporting an emergency that requires immediate attention, please call us on 0300 373 3306. An emergency on the highway is defined as something that is very likely to present an imminent threat to life, serious injury or serious damage to property. Our team will assess the severity of your report and escalate accordingly.

Investigatory levels

We will usually investigate where:

• cracks are visible
• movement is apparent
• materials have fallen onto the highway
• collapse may affect highway users 

What happens after you submit a report

The structure will be inspected and assessed by a Highways Officer.

We may need to contact the land or property owner responsible for the wall.

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.

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