Roads, bridges and pavements

Reporting emergencies outside office hours

If you need to report an emergency outside office hours such as a road collapse, dangerous pothole, knocked down lamp column, missing manhole cover or fallen tree, please do not report it online. See our emergency out-of-hours information for our emergency contact details.

If it's not an emergency or you are reporting a problem between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, please use the online reporting facility.

Pavements and potholes

Report a dangerous pavement or pothole

There are two exceptions:

we don’t repair privately-owned pavements or forecourts
Transport for London (TfL) is responsible for pavements along the following roads: Westway, Great West Road, Hammersmith Flyover, Talgarth Road, West Cromwell Road, A3220 (formally M41 West Cross Route). Report a pavement problem to TfL.

Traffic management

During special events we use temporary measures to manage traffic and parking. We work with event organisers and the emergency services to make sure everything runs smoothly, and to prevent accidents.

More about traffic management

Traffic management orders - information and application form

Speed limits in the borough

Sections of main roads in our three, busy town centres have a 20mph speed limit. This map shows the current speed limits on H&F’s roads.

Map of the speed limits in H&F including the areas where the 20mph speed limit is now in place (pdf)

Road markings and signs

Report a problem with a road marking or sign

Road signs tell drivers, cyclists and pedestrians about changes to the road layout ahead and if there are any restrictions.

The Department for Transport designs the signs we use. They help us and the police enforce laws set by Parliament.

Red routes are the responsibility of Transport for London.

Bridges and subways

Problem with a bridge, subway or river wall?

We are responsible for:

Hammersmith Bridge
Mitre Bridge
North Approach structure on Scrubs Lane
Addison Gardens Bridge
Hythe Road Canal Footbridge

We are also responsible for eight subways around Hammersmith Broadway and certain sections of the walls and barriers along the river.

We inspect bridges and structures every year, with a more detailed inspection every six years.

Dropped kerbs and crossovers

We build dropped kerbs at pedestrian crossings to help reduce accidents when people step on to or off the pavement. If you think a section of public pavement needs a dropped kerb, please email highways_general@lbhf.gov.uk.

We build crossovers across pavements to allow vehicles in and out of private forecourts. This helps prevent damage to vehicles and the pavement. We will build a crossover for access to your forecourt if you pay for its construction (subject to planning approval and other highway considerations).

When we receive an application, we inspect the site to see if a crossover would cause an obstruction, a risk to other people, or increase parking stress. If your application is successful, we’ll send you an estimate of the cost.

We charge an administration fee of £158 to process the application whether or not it is successful.

Crossover guidance notes and application form

Drains and gullies

Report a problem with a drain or gully

We maintain drains and gullies on the borough’s public roads and pavements. If you tell us about a blocked gully, we usually clear it within 7 days unless there’s a more serious problem, which may take longer to fix. As part of our routine maintenance, we clean all gullies every year.

Drainage problems in private properties

If your neighbour has a blocked or broken drain causing bad smells, a sewage leak or foul waste illegally entering the fresh water system, we can serve a legal notice on that person to make them repair it.

Report a problem with private drains

Thames Water is responsible for fixing blocked drains and other drainage problems in private properties as well as burst water mains and pipes.

To report a problem with private drains, water pipes and sewers, please visit the Thames Water website.

Street lights

If you tell us about a broken street light, we normally repair it within five working days. Our night scouts then check the light is working.

Report a faulty street light

The night scouts patrol each street in the borough every:

10 working days for main roads
10 working days for residential roads during winter months
20 working days for residential roads during summer months.

As part of our improvement programme, we are replacing worn-out street light columns. We base this on structural testing and visual checks.

Columns usually last for 25 years. We replace them with our standard steel column and modern, energy-efficient, white-light street lamp to meet current British lighting standards.

For more information on our new LED street lights, visit our FAQ page.

Traffic lights

Transport for London owns and runs all London traffic signals. Report a problem with traffic lights.

Construction logistic plans (CLPs)

Where significant development is taking place in the borough we require developers to produce a Construction logistics plan (CLP)

Obstructed roads and pavements

Report an obstructed road or pavement

To report any street scene issue, including obstructions, call us on the Cleaner Greener hotline 020 8753 1100 or email on cleaner.greener@lbhf.gov.uk.

The street scene enforcement team deals with any highway obstruction including:

advertising boards
abandoned barriers and cones
building materials
skips
abandoned bicycles, trolleys (supermarket & post office)
goods displayed outside shops
tables and chairs outside cafes and shops

Contact the street scene enforcement team who will visit and give notice for items to be removed.

We usually give the people responsible one day to remove the items but in some cases where there are large items they may be given longer. This is at our discretion.

If the items are not removed within the given time, we remove them and dispose of them.

Transport projects

Information about traffic management during special events and football matches.

Highways insurance claims

If you have had an accident or injury as a result of a defect on our roads or pavements, you may want to make a claim against our insurance policy.

Road adoption

Find out how to get new or private roads ‘adopted’ by the council.

Street furniture

Street furniture and our Streetsmart guide

Report a problem with street furniture such as bollards, signs, seats or trees.