RESIDENTS are being urged to report damage to bollards, road signs and lampposts to help Cheshire East Council tackle the high cost of repairs.

Residents who witness damage to road signs, street furniture and lampposts are urged to help the council catch up with those responsible and recover the costs.

On occasions motorists leave the scene following a collision, damage to a bridge, bollard or lamp column, which can prove very costly to the council and, ultimately, the council taxpayer.

Since 2011 the council has pursued claims worth more than £3 million to cover the cost of repairs, but some incidents go undetected.

Cheshire East highways’ Twitter campaign is helping to encourage people who witness damage due to a traffic collision or other incident, to report it and provide whatever information they can.

Useful information includes the vehicle involved and its registration number and any photographs, including the damage caused.

Cllr Don Stockton said: “Incidents can happen at any time of the day or night and, if the driver suspects they have not been spotted and if the police are not involved they can be tempted to drive off.

“Repairing road signs, bridges, bollards and lighting columns across the borough places a significant cost on the highways budget.

“We also have to repair road surfaces following spillages of oil or contaminated waste and remove or replace damaged trees.

“We believe with social media and our policy of involving stakeholders and partners when incidents have occurred, we have brought about a rise in recovering costs, either directly from the person responsible or through their insurance company.”

The council’s ‘green claims team’ is responsible for pursuing claims, and can be contacted via Twitter @CEChighways or by calling 0300 123 5020.

Damage to a pedestrian crossing