Highways

The roads highlighted are those that have been adopted by Trafford Council and will be maintained by them.

Within Carrington, there are two unadopted roads servicing residential properties, School lane and Crampton lane.

Who's responsible for unadopted roads?

The local highway authority is not responsible for maintaining a private or unadopted road although it can intervene under existing legislation to repair it. Responsibility for the cost of maintenance of a private or unadopted road rests with the frontagers; that is, the owners of properties with frontages on such roads (“owners of the premises fronting the street”). Under section 203 of the 1980 Act “fronting” includes adjoining.

Even if it is not the frontagers who ‘own’ the road but a third party such as a property company, it is the frontagers who are referred to in the legislation. The highway authority may therefore only deal with them and is not concerned with the owners of the road.

Adoption by the local highway authority

Provision exists for private or unadopted roads to be adopted at the instigation of the local highway authority or the frontagers, and thus to become “highways maintainable at public expense”. This requires a formal adoption by a resolution of the local authority. It is generally the case that any local highway authority considering adopting a road will require that it is made up to an acceptable standard before doing so. This has become an increasing issue as local authorities have faced cuts to their budgets and have sought ways to ensure they are not taking on new liabilities.