Road and maintenance status
A road can have the following status:
- Highway - A route over which the public have a right to pass and repass without hindrance and without charge. This status doesn't always mean that the road allows vehicles.
- Non-highway - A route over which the public have no right of access.
- Permissive - Permission has been granted by the landowner for public use. This permission can be withdrawn at any time and without notice.
- Under Construction - The route has not been built or is in the process of being constructed.
What is meant by 'maintenance status'?
The maintenance status (or commonly called 'adoption') refers to the person(s) or organisation(s) whom have the responsibility for the upkeep or maintenance. A road can have the following status:
- Highways maintainable at public expense (HMPE) - maintenance responsibility lies with ourselves as local highway authority
- Prospectively HMPE - maintenance responsibility will lie with ourselves in the future, providing that specific conditions are met
- HMPE (Highways England) - maintenance responsibility lies with Highways England, such is the case for motorways and trunk roads
- Not SCC Maintained or Private - maintenance responsibility lies with another body or individual. We do not hold records of whom this is
How do I find the maintenance status?
Please use our free Land Charges Mapping Portal. If the road is private then the responsibility for this would usually fall to the landowner ; details we do not hold. For landowner details, please visit Land Registry.
Sometimes, a road may still be being constructed (e.g. by a developer), which would usually take place under a New Roads Agreement (Section 38 Highways Act 1980). If you wish to check whether a road is covered by a Section 38 please email us road.adoptions@staffordshire.gov.uk
Please be aware that records are no longer kept on the premises, therefore allow 10 working days for a response to your enquiry.
As local highway authority we hold a list of streets as directed under Section 36 (6) of the Highways Act 1980.