What is a pothole
A pothole is usually where the wearing surface of the road has been eroded causing the loss of road material and a hollow to form. It can occur quickly and at any time particularly in the winter and early spring months due to the weather conditions.
How do I report a pothole?
You can report a pothole online or if you consider it to be an emergency contact Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.
What information is required when reporting a pothole?
We need precise information about the location of the pothole to enable us to find it easily. Wherever possible, please provide:
- The street name, nearest house number or another reference point, for example distance from a junction or the number on the nearest lamp column
- Approximately how long, wide and deep the pothole is
What happens once I have reported a pothole?
An inspector will visit the location and arrange an appropriate response. If the pothole is found to be within an area under the control of a utility company such as water or gas it will be referred to the relevant company.
When will it be fixed?
Potholes are prioritised according to the size, depth, location and likely risk to pedestrians and road users. We aim to repair the highest risk potholes within 24 hours. Lesser risk potholes are generally repaired within seven days. The rest are repaired within 4 weeks by routine patching works or the planned highways maintenance programme.
What is an emergency and how should I report it?
We will only consider a report as an out of hours emergency if the pothole exceeds a depth of 40mm (about one and half inches) on the road or 20mm on the footway.
How do I claim for damage or injury due to a defect on the pavement or road?
To report an accident for which you intend to make a claim contact Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000. Please advise the operator of:
- Exact location of the accident
- Date and time it happened
- What you believe to have caused it
- Your full name and address
What happens next?
An accident report form will be sent to you and you will be contacted again after an investigation.
You are advised that if appropriate this investigation and the information you have supplied will be referred to our insurers. Our insurers will pass your information to the Claims and Underwriting Exchange Register run by Insurance Database Services Limited and the Motor Insurance Anti Fraud and Theft Register run by the Association of British Insurers for checking and to prevent fraudulent claims.
