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  5. Roads and pavements: what we do

Roads and pavements: what we do

We repair and maintain most roads and pavements in East Sussex. We provide and maintain traffic lights, streetlights, road signs, bridges and other structures. We also maintain roadside verges, hedges and trees.

We do not look after trunk roads.

These are maintained by National Highways (previously Highways England). In East Sussex these include:

  • A21 outside of Hastings
  • A26 between the A27 and Newhaven
  • A27 and most of the A259, east of Pevensey (excluding Hastings).

We also do not look after private or unadopted roads. Find out more about Adopted roads.

  • Regularly inspect all 2000 miles (3218.69 km) of roads, pavements and signs
  • Repair and maintain roads and pavements
  • Cut grass verges
  • Spray weeds on pavements and kerbsides at least once a year
  • Clean our roadside drains at least once every two years, or more in problem areas

Find out more information on the East Sussex Highways website.

District and borough councils are responsible for litter collection and street sweeping.

Street lights and illuminated signs

  • Regularly check 41,000 street lights and 8,000 illuminated signs
  • Fix dangerous faults within an hour of being informed
  • Repair faults (except those caused by a power failure) within 10 working days of being informed

Find more information and street light FAQs on the East Sussex Highways website

Traffic lights and Pelican crossings

  • Regularly check over 200 sets of traffic lights and pedestrian crossings
  • Repair faults (except those caused by a power failure) within one working day of being informed
  • Replace faulty lamps within one working day of being informed
  • Put up warning signs within 4 hours of being advised, if traffic lights or pelican crossings are out of action.

Find more information and traffic light FAQs on the East Sussex Highways website.

  • Potholes will be repaired within 28 days or sooner depending on the level of risk they pose i.e. deeper potholes on main roads are priorities.
  • You can find out about our intervention levels online in our inspection manual and investigatory matrix.
  • Intervention levels allow us to focus our resources on the most immediate issues affecting safety.

Find more information and pothole FAQs on the East Sussex Highways website

Report a pothole

  • Operate a permit scheme to help us minimise disruption from roadworks
  • When we plan major roadworks, we will put signs up at least one week before work starts
  • Let residents and businesses that are directly affected know, at least a week before major roadworks start
  • Provide clearly signed diversions where roads need to be closed
  • Publish roadworks information on our website and via Twitter

Find out more

  • Publish our plans and procedures for roads to be treated each winter
  • Grit all main roads (over 40% of the county), including at least one road into each large village, when freezing is predicted
  • Use modern precision weather forecasting linked to our own weather stations
  • Use over 50 snow ploughs to open main routes where possible, within 24 hours of heavy snow and other routes as soon as we can
  • Clear snow from town and village centres within the resources available to us
  • Provide information via our website and local radio on road conditions during bad weather

Find more information and winter FAQs on the East Sussex Highways website

  • Provide an emergency call-out service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • In a major emergency, we will prioritise our responses to incidents according to available resources
  • Make safe dangerous hazards within 2 hours of being informed
  • Make safe other hazards, obstructions and damaged roads and pavements, including dangerous potholes within 24 hours of being informed.

To report an emergency on the highway please call our Highways Contact Centre on 0345 60 80 193