Report a highway fault online
April 2017
A new online service has been launched by Cumbria County Council which will dramatically improve how the council manages and responds to highways faults.
Whether it's reporting a pothole, a faulty street light or a blocked drain, the new system provides a seamless experience for all, whether you are a member of the public reporting the defect or highway maintenance staff fixing the fault.
The new system, which has been developed by W.D.M. Limited, is easy to use and interactive, and it is hoped will lead to significant improvements for a council service that receives hundreds of queries every month.
An advantage of logging the fault via the new online service is that people can provide their email address and receive automatic progress updates direct to their inbox. It is also possible to view faults that have already been reported on a map, view the current status of each fault and register for automated updates on any previously reported fault.
The repair teams will receive the detail of the fault on new 'tough' tablets, which means when using the county's broadband infrastructure and the mobile network, they will receive the information in real time, without needing to return to a highways depot for instructions.
The team will then assess the fault and where possible repair it, or as a minimum make it safe, in line with the council's agreed road safety standards. Using the 'tough' tablets means the team, whilst working on the road network, can easily update online information, including getting access to photos and associated documents.
Councillor Keith Little, Cumbria County Council Cabinet member for Highways, said: "Cumbria has one of the largest highway networks in the country and the county council is committed to providing a safe and well managed road network. We will be investing over £80m in highways maintenance in 2017/18 and our highways teams work very hard maintaining our roads and fixing faults throughout the year.
"I'm absolutely delighted that we are launching a new online service for reporting road defects like potholes. I believe it will improve efficiency and make a big difference to the way we manage and respond to highways faults. The new system will also make it much easier for the public to report highway faults and track progress of highway maintenance in future. I would encourage people wishing to report a pothole or other road issues to visit our website and use the new system."
WDM® developed the process known as Public Information Portal or ‘PIP’ as part of their Integrated Highway Asset Management System. Ian Cadwallader, Software Development Manager at WDM®, says the programme not only increases direct access for members of the public to report road problems, but gives the council greater control over its assets.
“The software increases both communication and efficiency of operation, enabling the authority to carry out effective road repairs without undue delay. Members of the public reporting faults also get peace of mind from the knowledge that their voice can make a difference,” he said.
Share this
