Report a highway or pavement obstruction

If you discover an obstruction, report it to us. Obstructions are objects which have been placed on a road or overhang it without permission.

Obstructions caused by vehicles

Vehicles parked on the footway adjacent to yellow lines can be reported to our Parking section for investigation.

Where there are no restrictions, you can report these to the local Police by calling 101, the non-emergency number.

If the footway has been damaged you can report it using our online form.

What are common obstructions?

Obstructions commonly include

  • advertising boards on the pavement
  • general debris which may cause a hazard to road users or pedestrians
  • builders' materials
  • scaffolding, skips and fences
  • overhanging tree branches, hedges and bushes
  • mud/debris on the road
  • drive-ways, hedges and fences crossing over onto the highway

What else can I report?

We also want to know if you notice

  • missing barriers around roadworks or building works which may affect your safety
  • illegal signs - unauthorised attachments such as flyposting on street furniture (lamp posts, pedestrian guard rails).

What do we need to know?

To investigate the issue we will need to know:

  • An accurate location (including landmarks, house numbers or road junctions)
  • A detailed description of the problem

Make sure you do not put yourself or anyone else in danger when obtaining details about the fault.

We ask that you provide us with your contact details in case we need to ask you for more information. You can also receive status updates of your report by providing this information.

Once we receive your report it will be assessed to determine if it is an emergency. If so, it will be actioned immediately and, if necessary, it will be made safe. All other requests will be investigated within our routine timescales.

Other types of obstruction

Obstructions caused by household or garden rubbish, black bags, wheelie bins, white goods, fallen leaves and fly-tipping should be reported to our waste management team.

Visit the highways licence application page if you want to occupy or perform any excavation of the highway.

How to use our reporting form

If you want to track progress on your enquiry, you can log in to, or register for a BRUM account.

1. Start your report

Look at the map to begin.

The map will show a 2-mile area around Birmingham city centre by default.

2. Find and plot the location

There are 2 ways to find the location.

  1. Use the "Search for a place" box
    Type a postcode or road name in the search box.
    If you know the property number, include it too.
  2. Manual search
    Explore the map and zoom in to mark the location.
    On the left side of the map, you will find the tools:
    • Zoom buttons. Use the plus and minus buttons to zoom in and out.
      Mobile users can also pinch to zoom.
    • Find my location circle. Use this to zoom to where you are right now
    To move around the map, click or tap and drag.

Click or tap the map to plot the location. A marker will appear.

3. Submit your report

Once you have plotted the location on the map, select "Submit new enquiry" to start the form.

If you're using an older browser such as Internet Explorer 10 or earlier, the map might not appear. Try using a newer browser for the best experience.

Page last updated: 14 May 2024

rating button