If you suffer damage or injury that you consider to have been caused by a highway defect then you may be able to claim compensation.
The Highways Act recognises that faults will arise on our roads and we have a duty to only settle claims where there is a clear legal liability.
Please think carefully before you make a claim, any compensation takes funds away from our important frontline services.
We have a duty to fully investigate each and every claim in order to protect public funds. The personal information you provide will be used by us and insurers for the purposes of insurance administration and claims handling. It might also be shared with other third parties, including the police, in relation to claims handling and fraud and crime prevention.
How to make a claim
Please email streetcare@bolton.gov.uk or call 01204 336600 to report the accident and request a claim form.
Once you receive your form, please make sure you complete the form fully and enclose all the documentation requested, we won’t be able to process your claim without it.
We don’t accept forms by email, please send your completed forms to:
Highway Claims Team
Bolton Council
3rd Floor Paderborn House
Howell Croft North
Bolton BL1 1UA
For personal injury claims we will seek permission from you to access your medical records.
For vehicle damage claims you will need to provide two independent estimates for the repair, unless repairs were required to be completed immediately (example - a broken windscreen). Please note that we can only accept claims from the registered keeper or we will require written and signed authority from the legal owner confirming that they are happy for you to pursue a claim on their behalf.
What happens next?
We aim to acknowledge receipt of your claim within 21 days.
Personal injury or property damage claims - we will accept or reject your claim within 90 days via our external claim handler.
Vehicle damage claims are dealt with internally or externally and in most cases we aim to provide you with a decision within 90 days.
Claims information for solicitors
Legally represented claims must be submitted through the Claims Portal.
Our Highway Safety Inspection Regime
We undertake a system of regular highway safety inspections of all adopted highways to comply with our statutory duty to maintain highways in accordance with Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, and to provide a special defence under Section 58 of the Act. This allows Bolton Council to provide defence against actions brought by third parties for damages resulting from failure to maintain the highway provided there is an efficient and effective highway inspection regime, and that thorough and detailed inspection records are kept, as well as a reasonable system for repair and maintenance.
Safety inspections are designed to identify all defects likely to create danger or serious inconvenience to users of the network or the wider community. The risk of danger is identified by a highways inspector on site, and the defect categorised in terms of an appropriate priority response. The establishment of an effective regime of inspection, assessment and recording is a key component of highway maintenance.
To manage risk effectively, we have reviewed our hierarchy and inspection regime so that:
- Higher and lower risk highway sections are identified, and their risk is managed accordingly, by having more frequent or less frequent inspections.
- Defects are categorised based on their location and the impact they can have on the public at large, triggering different responses and response times.
In preparing the safety inspection regime, Bolton Council has given due consideration to the following documents.
- Well Managed Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice (UKRLG 2016) (The Code)
- Well Managed Highway Liability and Risk Guidance (IHE 2017)
- Greater Manchester Highway Inspection Framework (2017)
- Bolton Council Code of Practice – Highway Safety Inspections (Version 11 2024)