Highway skid resistance policy

Purpose of policy

East Sussex County Council (ESCC) recognises the vital role played by the local highway network. The purpose of this policy is to set out how the County Council will monitor the skid resistance of the road and the approach it will take to ensure that skid resistance across the network is maintained to an agreed standard.

In carrying out this policy, ESCC will meet its statutory obligations and will also support the Council’s Priorities, Local Transport Plan and Highway Service Outcomes.


Policy statement

The Council has a statutory duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain adopted highways at the public expense.

The management of highway skid is considered good practice, and supports the aims and objectives of the Highway Asset Management Policy. The Council will ensure that adequate levels of skid resistance are maintained within reasonable expectations as outlined in the Highways Act 1980.

The following actions will be taken:

  1. Skid resistance surveys completed annually on defined parts of the highway network.
  2. Sites where skid resistance falls below investigatory level will be identified for further investigation.
  3. As a result of investigation any sites requiring intervention will be prioritised for works using a risk-based approach.

Supporting information


Version control and date of last review

Approved by Lead Member for Transport and Environment, 19 November 2018