Roadworks, road closures and diversions

Any work that is carried out on publicly maintained highway is governed by law. Codes of practice and guidelines cover inspections, safety, co-ordination of street works and specifications for reinstatements. 

Who is responsible for roadworks?

We are responsible for monitoring and co-ordinating roadworks to ensure public safety and reduce congestion and delays.

Sometimes, roadworks that are unforeseen will not be listed on our map if, for example, a utility company needs to undertake emergency repairs due to a power outage, a burst water main, or a gas leak.

Who checks the quality of roadworks?

There are eight street works inspectors working across the county. They monitor a proportion of all sites to ensure the work is being carried out safely and to national specifications; where there are problems, they are corrected.

You can sign up to email alerts using our roadworks map.

You can access the roadworks map here. Select the envelope icon on the left of the map, and complete the details requested. You will then receive alerts in your area at a frequency of your choosing.

There are many reasons why we may need to close a road - for maintenance and repairs, flooding, gas leaks, land slippage or events and street parties.

We can authorise road closures and diversions temporarily, for example to allow roadworks, or permanently, through what is called a 'stopping up order'. The police can also close roads for public safety reasons.

If this occurs, we will make an application to the magistrates' court following consultation with statutory consultees and the local community. If a stopping up order is approved by the court, the land will revert back to whoever owned the land before it became a public highway.

Find out how to organise a street party, or an event or demonstration on or by a road.