Welcome to the web-site of The Road Adoption Campaign – a campaign dedicated to highlighting the long-standing social problem of ‘unadopted roads’ within the city of Sunderland. As part of the campaign we have produced a ‘Discussion Document’ outlining the main issues relating to unadopted roads; the problems faced by residents, the implications for the rest of the community/city, our proposed solution etc. A second document outlining our ‘arguments’ for public funding has also been produced. These documents are available on this web-site, to view or to print out.
Unadopted roads, often referred to as ‘private’ roads, are roads that do not reach the minimum adoptable standards set by the local authority. As such, unadopted roads do not receive any maintenance by the council. Unadopted roads usually consist of a dirt or rubble track that in many cases do not have basic services, such as drainage and street lighting. Although referred to as ‘private’, many unadopted roads are also a public thoroughfare and therefore cannot be fenced off or obstructed.
The objectives of the campaign are to raise awareness of the problem of unadopted roads and to persuade elected representatives to resolve the problem by introducing a publicly funded, phased programme of road improvements and subsequent adoption - for all residential unadopted roads within the jurisdiction of the City Council.
The simple answer is yes; the public funding of a road improvement/adoption programme can be justified. Unadopted roads are public rights of way and eliminating them would have benefits/opportunities for the whole community. See our document outlining the arguments for public funding.
So, if you live in Sunderland and your street is one of the 250 or so unadopted roads within the city, then join TRAC by getting in touch with any one of our area contacts. You can also help the campaign by writing letters of complaint to your local councillors, your Member of Parliament, the press, the media or any one else you can think of. Do not expect a successful outcome overnight, this campaign will be long lasting but it will succeed. However, that success will be achieved more quickly the more we join together and the more we complain, so join us now and start writing those letters.
George Parkin,
Secretary (TRAC).
P.S. During the course of the campaign it has become clear that the problem of unadopted roads is not confined to Sunderland – unadopted roads are a problem nationally. Fortunately, the issues and arguments concerning unadopted roads in Sunderland can also be applied to unadopted roads nationally. Therefore if you do not live in Sunderland but you do live in an unadopted road then please do not log-off, you can still help the campaign. How? Well you can add your details to our ‘national petition’. You can also write to your own local councillors, your local Member of Parliament, the press, the media etc. You can also contact TRAC for advice on starting a campaign in your area (maybe an associated campaign then we can speak with one loud voice).
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