FI16930

Request

I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request information relating to notices issued under Section 56 of the Highways Act 1980 concerning the repair of highways maintainable at public expense.

Specifically, I request the following information for each of the last five financial years (2020/21 – 2024/25 or most recent available): 

1. Volume of Section 56 Notices

  • The total number of Section 56 notices received by the authority in each financial year.

2. Outcome of Section 56 Notices

For each financial year, please provide a breakdown of outcomes for those notices, including:

  • Number of notices acknowledged but no further action taken
  • Number of notices that resulted in inspection and/or assessment only
  • Number of notices that resulted in remedial works / repairs being carried out
  • Number of notices that were rejected or deemed invalid

3. Escalation and Legal Action

For each financial year:

  • Number of cases where the complainant progressed to court action under Section 56
  • Number of cases where the authority undertook repairs following court direction or prior to hearing
  • Number of cases where the authority successfully defended the claim

4. Time to Resolution (if recorded)

If held, please provide:

  • Average time between receipt of a Section 56 notice and:
    • Inspection
    • Decision
    • Completion of any remedial works

5. Policies / Guidance

If available, please provide:

  • Any internal policy, guidance, or procedural documentation used by the authority in handling Section 56 notices.

Format Request

Please provide the information in Excel, CSV, or other machine-readable format where possible. 

Purpose of Request

This request forms part of a broader national analysis into the use and effectiveness of statutory mechanisms available to the public for addressing highway defects.

The findings will be used to better understand:

  • The volume and utilisation of Section 56 notices
  • The effectiveness of the process in triggering remedial action
  • The extent to which cases escalate to legal proceedings
  • Variations in approach between authorities

Response

Dover District Council does not hold the information you are seeking. The highway authority within our District is Kent County Council, who should be able to assist you and can be contacted at the following address: freedomofinformation@kent.gov.uk.