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• Transport and streets

• Motor vehicles and roads

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• Road works
• Traffic calming
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• Safer routes to school

Enforcing highways law

The council has a duty to protect public rights on the road and footpath network. The effectiveness of legislation in protecting the public demands the compliance of others, and the council can take action to enforce this legislation.

Officers are, from time to time, required to deal with businesses or individuals who breach the statutory protection relating to highways. The initial aim of officers is to assist offenders to comply with their legal obligations, without unnecessary expense or hardship. However, firm action will be taken against those who disregard the law.

Enforcement action areas include:

• Public Rights of Way.
• Highways.
• Highways works associated with new developments.

The council's countryside staff have a duty to ensure that public rights of way are open, safe for use, free from obstruction and clearly marked. They are responsible for checking that works requested of owners/occupiers of land (for example, to repair stiles or clear crops) have been carried out to a suitable standard.

The council, as Highway Authority, has a duty to maintain adopted highways to safe and serviceable standards. Staff have to protect the rights of the public to the use and enjoyment of such highways by ensuring they are free from nuisance, danger, obstructions, unlawful stopping up, interference and encroachments.

Carriageways, footways, verges and footpaths serving new developments will be adopted by the council, then maintained at public expense - provided they have been constructed in accordance with the Authority's standards.

The council, as Street Authority, has a duty to co-ordinate works on the highway, including the works of Statutory Undertakers, in the interests of safety, public convenience, the protection of the structure of the street and the integrity of apparatus in it. The council also has powers regarding the timing of street works, and can restrict the repetition of work within 12 months of the completion of substantial road works.

Staff ensure that the requirements contained in the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, and its supporting Codes of Practice, including those for traffic management and reinstatements are carried out effectively and efficiently.

Officers may deal with matters informally or formally and the action may lead to prosecution.

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