Safety fences and barriers

Separating traffic from pedestrians and other potentially dangerous situations.

Safety fences and barriers provide separation between traffic and vulnerable road users as well as protecting drivers from hazardous situations.  Breaches in boundary fences may lead to risk of children and animals straying onto the highway.  Unstable fences, walls and barriers adjacent to the highway can present risks to the safety of highway users. These boundaries are almost always the responsibility of the owner or occupier of the land next to the highway.

Trunk roads are managed by W S Atkins on behalf of the Highways Agency. Any questions regarding these roads should be directed to them rather than Suffolk County Council.  Questions about safety fences and barriers in the following towns or parishes should be directed to:


Suffolk County Council Maintenance Standard

Damaged safety fences will normally be made safe within 24 hours and permanently repaired as soon as possible.

Pedestrian Barriers - Damaged pedestrian barriers will normally be made safe within 24 hours and permanently repaired within four weeks.

Other urgent and dangerous fence problems - In most cases this fencing is owned by the adjacent property owner.  We will contact the owner of the fencing if possible and ask them to make safe. If the owner cannot be contacted, or will not make the fencing safe, we will make safe within 24 hours.  Other fences in a dangerous condition, that are the responsibility of the County Council, will be made safe within 24 hours.