Road – Pavement - Obstructions

We are committed to keeping our pavements free of obstruction and nuisance for users.

We regularly inspect our pathways to ensure they are free from obstruction.

Penalty

It is a criminal offence to wilfully obstruct the free passage along a highway and this includes pavements. A magistrate's court can impose a maximum £1,000 fine on anyone convicted of this.

Examples of obstruction include:

• Advertising boards
• Building materials    
• Scaffolding  

If you want to place items on the pathway, you need a permit from the Highways Services department.

What we can do

• Investigate reports of obstruction and the people responsible for it
• Remove things considered as nuisance and recover reasonable costs incurred in doing so from the offender
• Request a person responsible for a tree or bush that overhangs the highway, including footway, to cut it back

Report an incident of obstruction

Do it as soon as you can so we can investigate it.

You will need to give us details such as:

• Date
• Time
• Location
• Type of obstruction

How to report

• Report online
• Telephone Environmental Protection 020 8379 1000.

What we will do

• We endeavour to inspect an obstructed area within one working day of receiving a report and arrange for removal of the obstruction if necessary,
• We will update you on the status of your report within 10 days of receiving it.