Good drainage is essential to the highway. Rural areas rely to a great extent on ditches to remove water and their effectiveness is fundamental to keeping roads in good condition. Cumberland Council’s highways department deals with stormwater run-off from the highways by maintenance and cleansing of gullies and grips, but the effectiveness of such work is dictated by the condition of the roadside ditches. Common law imposes a duty on the occupier of land adjoining highways to maintain these roadside ditches which provide natural drainage for both the land and the highway. Failure to maintain drainage causes roadside verges and the edges of carriageways to quickly deteriorate.
Advice
Preparation and cleaning up
Advance warning signs must be put out in both directions before commencing work. See ‘Safety on the highway’ for advice on correct signage.
Maintenance requirements
Ditches should be kept clear of any obstruction to the flow of water and deep enough to carry the water. Close to the carriageway, depth must be limited. If a deep ditch appears unavoidable, contact the highways team before commencing work. Material excavated from the ditches during maintenance should not be deposited where it will block grips (drainage channels) or be carried onto the road. It should be levelled to allow subsequent mowing to take place. Any accumulation of material more than 300mm above the carriageway should be removed from the highway, as should any rubbish or tree roots. Pipes and grids etc. should also be kept free of obstruction. Cumberland Council’s agreement must be sought before piping any ditch to ensure that an adequate system is installed. Any occupier of land that is adversely affected by highway drainage should contact Cumberland Council.
Hedge cutting
Hedge cutting should be carried out ensuring that cuttings do not fall onto the footway or highway. Any which do must be removed immediately as they can cause great difficulty and potential danger for all road users, particularly cyclists and animals. There is a legal obligation to ensure that there is no danger to the public caused by debris. The government is spending millions through the environment and health departments in persuading people to cycle and walk. Large sums are being spent on improving the walking and cycle network (including those in Cumberland). Families and cyclists of all abilities who use these lanes and cycleways inevitably suffer punctures when cuttings are left on the surface. Repairs often must be carried out in winter weather, or before the bird nesting season, and/or in the dark, taking considerably longer and thus discouraging the use of cycles.