Highway service standards - Publications

We carry out two main types of highway inspection to keep our roads, footways and other areas of the public highway safe.

Safety Inspections are planned at regular intervals based on the type and importance of the road, generally busier routes are inspected more frequently than quieter ones.

Reactive inspections take place when we receive reports from the public about potential hazards. Both types of inspection use a risk-based approach to identify and prioritise repairs, ensuring that urgent issues are addressed promptly while less critical defects are managed appropriately.

Further information about our inspection regime

Find out more about future planned works

We identify potholes through both our dedicated safety inspections and reports received from the public.

We prioritise pothole repairs using a risk-based approach, as explained in our Highway Safety Inspection Manual. This means we look at how likely a defect is to cause harm and the potential impact on road safety, so the most urgent issues are dealt with first. By taking this approach, we can make sure repairs happen where they’re needed most, helping to keep drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and other road users safe while maintaining the overall condition of Warwickshire’s roads. Our aim is to provide a safe and reliable network for everyone who uses it.

Whenever possible, we aim to carry out a permanent ‘first-time fix’ when repairing potholes. This means we cut out the damaged area around the pothole, remove any weakened material, and replace it with hot asphalt. This method provides the most durable and long-lasting repair.

If a permanent repair isn’t possible, often because the pothole needs urgent attention to keep the road safe, we carry out a temporary repair. The method we use depends on how quickly the repair is needed. If time allows, we use a hot material for a stronger finish. In emergency situations, where the pothole must be filled immediately, we use a cold-applied material.

Where a temporary pothole repair has to be undertaken, we will then arrange for this to receive a permanent repair (if suitable), as part of our planned programme of works.

Report a pothole

In addition to potholes identified through planned safety inspections and routine highway inspections, we have dedicated “Find and Fix” teams who regularly patrol our roads (excluding A roads) to identify and repair potholes before they become a bigger problem.

This proactive approach helps us catch defects early, preventing them from developing into more serious issues that require major repairs. By acting quickly, we reduce future disruption and keep the network safer and more reliable for everyone.

Warwickshire County Council manages around 115,000 gully assets and employs a risk-based approach to their maintenance. High-risk sites are emptied more frequently, with schedules including 3-monthly and 6-monthly intervals. Low-risk gullies are maintained on triennial basis.

Additionally, a routine jetting programme is conducted to address problematic drainage systems identified from public reports or during ad-hoc inspections.
If you spot a blocked road gully you can report it to us.

We maintain rural verges, the grassed areas alongside roads outside towns and villages, usually where speed limits are above 40 mph.

Our mowing is carried out for safety rather than appearance. Cutting the grass helps ensure that drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians have clear visibility and can use roads and footways safely. This is especially important at junctions and bends where sightlines are critical.

We cut a one-metre-wide strip along the verge and carry out extra cutting at junctions and bends twice a year. These scheduled cuts help keep visibility clear throughout the main growing season.

If visibility becomes significantly impaired and safety is at risk, we may arrange additional cuts at specific locations.

Report overgrown vegetation online

Roadside verges in towns and villages (non-rural) are important gateways to our communities and help create a sense of pride in the local area. These verges are usually maintained by your district or borough council.

The number of grass cuts varies depending on the arrangements in place with each council. This means some areas may receive more frequent cuts than others.

For more information on the maintenance of the non-rural verges, please contact your district or borough council:

• North Warwickshire Borough Council
• Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council
• Rugby Borough Council
• Stratford-on-Avon District Council
• Warwick District Council

Untreated weeds in road channels can damage paved surfaces and kerbstones, block drainage systems, and increase the risk of slips, trips, and falls for pedestrians. These issues can negatively impact highway safety.

To prevent this, we carry out cyclical weed spraying once a year in our towns and villages. We focus solely on kerbed carriageway channels and roads with speed limits of 40mph or below.

Our specialist contractor uses best practices to avoid overspray and protect people, pets, and gardens, including:

• Low-drift nozzles and low spray pressure
• Adjuvants in the mix to reduce drift
• No spraying in unsuitable weather conditions
• All operators are fully qualified and certified

Some district and borough councils also spray weeds as part of their street cleansing duties, which may include footways, parks, and open spaces.

We also manage injurious weeds in line with a dedicated treatment plan. Our control methods target known locations where invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam, or Giant Hogweed have accumulated.

If you have concerns about significant infestations of injurious weeds on our network, you can report them directly.

Report a problem with Japanese Knotweed or Ragwort 

We carry out siding, trimming back grass and vegetation from the edges of footways, on an 'as-needed' basis. This work is important to keep our footways clear and safe for pedestrians.

In addition, we undertake siding ahead of any planned footway maintenance or renewal schemes to ensure the area is prepared for the works.

By removing overgrowth, we help maintain the integrity of the footway surface and ensure there is enough space for people to walk safely without obstruction. This is especially important for people with mobility issues, including those using wheelchairs, pushchairs, or other aids.

Report overgrown vegetation online

We will maintain WCC owned hedges as necessary to provide safe passage to road users. We also undertake an annual hedge flailing program of hedges that are the responsibility of WCC to maintain.

Private hedges are the owner’s responsibility, but we will take steps to ensure that and hedges that are overhanging or endangering the highway are cut back or made safe.

We will maintain WCC owned trees in accordance with the principles of best arboriculture practice. Inspections of trees will be undertaken on a five-year cyclical basis.

Private trees are the owner’s responsibility, but we will take steps to ensure that and trees that are overhanging or endangering the highway are cut back or made safe.

• All A and B class roads.
• Roads serving hospitals and main industrial estates.
• A single route to each village.