Street furniture

Suffolk County Council maintain street street furniture on all other public roads in Suffolk,with the following exceptions:

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.  Queries about street furniture in the following towns should be directed to:

Street furniture includes a variety of items such as road signs, bollards, traffic signals and public seating. At Suffolk County Council, we are responsible for the upkeep of street furniture and have set time frames for the cleaning and safety checks of individual items.

Road Signs - We check, clean and carry out repairs to road signs to make sure they are:

  • clear to read;
  • undamaged; and
  • safe.

We give priority to warning signs and signs giving orders on busy, high-speed roads. Order signs, in general, are circular and enforce road rules, such as speed limits, while warning signs are generally triangular and alert drivers to hazards such as pedestrian crossings.

All road signs on A and B roads will be inspected and cleaned at least once a year. Signs and bollards close to the edge of the carriageway may be scheduled for more frequent cleaning, as they can be affected by spray from passing traffic.  Road signs on all other roads will be cleaned if we have available funds to carry out the work. Priority will be given to signs giving orders and warning signs.

Emergency work

We aim to fix the following problems within 24 hours:

  • broken street furniture that is posing a risk to the public;
  • misleading order or warning road signs;
  • missing or dangerous bollards and traffic signals;
  • order or warning signs that have disappeared from drivers’ view; and
  • other dangerous street furniture, such as exposed wiring and overhead cables.

Priority checks and repairs will also be given to street furniture near:

  • accommodation for the elderly;
  • bus stops;
  • dangerous bends;
  • hospitals;
  • schools; and
  • shopping centres.

To report a problem contact the Customer Service Centre.