The Highways and Engineering team are responsible for highway maintenance, drain (gully) clearance, signs and lines maintenance, and winter gritting on roads in Oxford under the S42 agreement. All of the work undertaken by the ODS Highways and Engineering team is authorised by Oxfordshire County Council.
This document summarises the standards of service you can expect from us.
The service we provide to our residents:
- highways inspections of all roads at least annually
- rectifying safety defects on the highway depending on severity (2 hour, 24 hour, or 28 days) if the defect meets intervention levels
- reactive clearance of gullies and annual clearance of all gullies on a schedule
- drainage investigations and maintenance
- routine maintenance of signs and lines
- maintenance and installation of street furniture
- large road work schemes i.e. resurfacing a whole road
- winter maintenance service
Please note: Our service may be disrupted by severe weather or factors outside our control e.g. road accidents. Updates will be provided via ODS and Oxford City Council social media channels
We will:
- inspect all roads at least annually
- fix any defect that is unsafe within agreed timescales
- deal with highway-related insurance claims within agreed timescales
- unblock drains (gullies) annually and responsively
- prepare suggestions for scheme works to be presented to Oxfordshire County Council for funding
- provide and maintain street furniture
- grit the roads in winter and provide a reactive response to snow and adverse weather
- provide a reactive response to flooding in the city
What we can do for you:
- maintain the highway to an acceptable (UK) standard
- consult / inform residents of road works with notice
- assist elderly and disabled residents throughout road works
What you can do:
- report any defect you notice via phone, web or email or via FixMyStreet
- report suggestions for large road work schemes
- refrain from parking on grass verges or on the footway (unless authorised) as this causes damage
- be understanding at times of adverse weather, we do our best and cannot be everywhere in the city at once
- ensure that no harmful substances (cooking oil, engine oil etc.) are disposed of down gully drains, many of these feed straight back into the main watercourses and can cause damage to plants and wildlife
- apply for a legitimate dropped crossing at your property because overriding the kerb causes damage
- be understanding that we have a limited budget and cannot, unfortunately, resurface or reconstruct all of our roads
Tell us what you think
Your feedback about highways and engineering services and how these can be improved is welcomed. Please visit our Make a comment, compliment or complaints page.
All comments, complaints, and suggestions will be responded to.
Further information
ODS is a a wholly owned company of Oxford City Council.
At ODS we're building a new kind of business. A business that’s good for everyone; one that creates a more inclusive and sustainable economy that truly balances purpose and profit, one that considers the impact of their decisions on their employees, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment.
- Find out more on the ODS website.
- See Roads and Pavements for how to report issues in Oxford
