Potholes

We look after the borough's road network which is 558.3 km long with 628.6km of footpaths – this doesn’t include the A66 which is looked after by National Highways.

We fill in an average of between 6,000 and 8,000 potholes a year.

Although we do all we can to keep the roads and pathways safe, we cannot repair every pothole as soon as it is formed. This page will help you to understand what we do, how we identify potholes and how they get repaired.

Although we inspect the highways on a regular basis, we need you to help us by reporting potholes as soon as you spot them.

• How can I report a pothole?
• What information is needed when reporting a pothole?
• I've reported a pothole, what happens next?
• Do you inspect the roads for potholes?
• How do you decide which potholes are repaired?
• Which roads are you responsible for fixing?
• Why haven't you filled all the potholes in my street?
• Are you responsible for damage to vehicles or personal injury as a result of potholes? Can I sue?
• Number of potholes repaired

How can I report a pothole?

You can report a pothole using our online report it system. Alternatively you can call us on 01325 405222.

What information is needed when reporting a pothole?

• your contact details – in case we need more information
• description of the pothole – what is its approximate size and where in the road is it 
• location of the pothole – include as much detail as possible so we can find the pothole; this is especially important in rural areas. Please include:
  • the name of the road
  • any identifiable landmarks near the pothole (for example, a nearby house, streetlight or junction)

I’ve reported a pothole, what happens next?

When you report a pothole, we will send someone out within 24 hours to determine how urgently it needs repairing.

Once inspected, the pothole will be either repaired within 20 days or five weeks. The most dangerous potholes will be repaired within 24 hours. Our pothole filling team is out all day throughout the year.

Do you inspect the roads for potholes?

As well as reacting to requests to fix potholes, we inspect the roads ourselves. This is done every three months on urban roads and every 30 days on rural roads and roads in the town centre.

We determine how urgently any potholes need repairing and then they are repaired within 20 working days. The most dangerous potholes will be repaired in 24 hours. 

We publish a list of all our highway schemes for the financial year, including pothole repairs

How do you decide which potholes are repaired?

If a pothole on a road is less than 40mm (1.6in) or less than 20mm (0.8in) on a footpath – it may not be repaired; however it will continue to be monitored as part of our regular safety inspections.

   

The pothole on the left is less than 40mm so it would not be repaired. The pothole on the right is more than 40mm so it would be repaired.

Which roads are you responsible for fixing?

We are responsible for the majority of highways and footpaths in Darlington, however there are some roads we are not responsible for:

• the A66 and the A1 – these are maintained by Highways England [external link].
• private roads – these are the responsibility of the resident/landowner.
• supermarket/shop car parks. These are the responsibility of the supermarket/shop.

Why haven't you filled in all the potholes on my street?

We do not repair potholes on a street-by-street basis; we repair them according to the level of urgency and if they meet our investigation level of 40mm This means that we will repair the biggest and most urgent potholes in your street first, and come back to repair any others when they reach this level.

Who is responsible for damage to vehicles or personal injury? Can I sue?

No, not usually. We are only potentially liable to pay for damage to vehicles or personal injury if we have been negligent. We are not expected to keep roads free of potholes at all times. Unfortunately, when conditions are severe, potholes will be more common. Road users must therefore be on the look out and take greater care after severe weather.

More information about claims

Number of potholes repaired