If you are aware of a motorcycle road hazard – report it.
Who should you report a hazard to?
In NSW:
- If the hazard is on a Freeway, Motorway or any State and National highway: call Transport for NSW (RMS) on 131 700
- If the hazard is on a local or regional road: call or send an e-mail to the Local Council
What if you do not know which Local Council is responsible?
- You can find out from Transport for NSW (RMS) – call 131 700.
- A street directory will show Local Council boundaries.
- You can also get contact details for the relevant Council from Department of Local Government the web site.
To use this site to identify the responsible council, you will need the name of the street and town where the hazard is situated.
This site also provides a street map of each Local Council area so that you can find the correct council in situations where the road runs through more than one council area.
How to make sure your complaint is dealt with.
Most Councils have a central contact point or customer service area who will refer the matter to the relevant manager. The recommended approach is by e-mail although letters and telephone calls are also fine.
This link Report a Road Hazard is an e-mail which you can fill in and send to the General Manager of the council.
There is also a printable copy of the Hazard Reporting Form for posting, or you can use it as a checklist to ensure you have all the necessary details before making a telephone call.
It is important to ensure that you provide:
- details of the exact location of the problem,
- an explanation why the site is a hazard for motorcyclists, and
- your contact details so the Council Engineer can call you if necessary for further information.
The easier you can make it for the Council Engineer to find the hazard, the greater the likelihood it will be dealt with quickly.
Remember many Road Engineers do not understand that motorcycles are different from cars. You may need to be quite patient and explain in simple terms why the particular situation is a hazard for motorcyclist. You can also refer the engineer to A Guide to Road Traffic Engineering – Motorcycle Safety. It is produced by Austroads and all Councils should have a copy.
Always ask how long it will be for Council to make a decision about the hazard you have reported.
