Before you report a pothole
Salford City Council is responsible for maintaining adopted roads, footways, cycleways and passageways that are maintained at public expense.
Not every road, footpath, or passageway in Salford is maintained by the council. Some are privately maintained or are the responsibility of another organisation.
Before reporting a pothole, please check the Highway Status Map to confirm who is responsible for maintaining the location.
Routes shown in green on the map are maintained by Salford City Council. Routes shown in red are not maintained by the council.
This can help avoid disappointment if the road is not maintained by the council.
How are potholes created?
Potholes form when water enters small cracks in the road surface. During colder weather, the water freezes and expands before thawing again. This repeated cycle weakens the road surface.
As vehicles pass over the weakened area, the surface breaks apart. Material becomes loose and is displaced, eventually forming a pothole.
How do we decide what to repair?
We assess defects based on their size, location and the risk they present to highway users.
We repair potholes and other defects that meet our intervention levels:
- Carriageways: 40mm deep
- Footways, cycleways and pedestrian crossing points: 25mm deep
The images below show a typical pothole that meets our repair criteria and an example of surface wear that would not normally be repaired as a pothole.
How do we repair potholes?
Most repairs are carried out using a bituminous material that is placed into the defect and compacted to restore the surface. This provides a durable repair that performs effectively in most situations.
For larger or more complex defects, we may carry out a cut-out and fill repair. This involves removing the damaged area and replacing it with new material to provide a longer-lasting solution.
We continue to monitor the highway network through regular inspections. Where more substantial work is required, locations are identified and prioritised as part of our planned maintenance programme.
How quickly do we act?
Defects that present an immediate danger are made safe within two hours.
Other defects that meet our intervention criteria are prioritised for repair and are normally repaired within 28 days. Where possible, repairs are grouped together to make the best use of resources and minimise disruption.
Looking after the network
Pothole repairs are only one part of maintaining the highway network.
Alongside reactive repairs, we deliver planned maintenance programmes including resurfacing, reconstruction, and preventative treatments. These works help keep roads and footways in good condition, improve value for money and reduce the number of potholes forming in the future.
Report a pothole
If you have checked the Highway Status Map and confirmed that the location is maintained by Salford City Council, you can report a pothole using the online form below.
Once your report has been submitted, you will receive a reference number which can be used to track the progress of your enquiry.