Adopted and private roads
What are adopted roads?
An adopted road is a public highway maintained and repaired at public expense by the local highway authority. East Sussex County Council inspect, repair and maintain adopted roads. All adopted roads are open to the public unless restricted by the highway authority.
Other highways, such as Public Rights of Way (PROW), are not inspected or maintained to the same level.
Find adopted roads in East Sussex
Read about the process for how roads are adopted.
What are private roads?
Private roads are roads that have not been adopted by the County Council. The owner of the road has the responsibility to maintain them. The owner may be the residents of a road, a third party, or a developer. Owners can restrict access to private roads.
What are private streets?
Private streets are also known as unadopted public highways and are different to private roads. Private streets are also maintained by the owners rather than the County Council but are open to the public.
What are public rights of way?
Rights of way are legally recorded public highways across privately owned land. They are not inspected or maintained to the same level as adopted highways such as roads and pavements. Find out more at About public rights of way | East Sussex County Council.
