A tree comes down across the road on a dark, wet night, or a burn bursts its banks and the dip before the bridge is suddenly a foot deep. You slow down, you turn around, and then you think: someone should know about this. Someone is you, and it takes about three minutes.
Getting the report to the right place matters more than getting it written perfectly. Here is how to report a fallen tree or a flooded road to Highland Council, what to say, and what tends to happen afterwards.
First, work out whose road it is
Highland Council is responsible for the great majority of local roads across the region, but not every piece of tarmac in the Highlands belongs to the council. Sending your report to the wrong place can cost hours, so it is worth a moment's thought.
- Council roads. Most local A and B roads, single-track routes, estate roads that have been taken over, and street lighting faults fall to Highland Council's roads service.
- Trunk roads. The A9, the A82, the A87 and parts of the A96 and A835 are trunk roads, managed nationally by Transport Scotland through its operating companies rather than by the council. Traffic Scotland is the place to check conditions and report issues on those routes.
- Private roads and access tracks. Usually the landowner's responsibility, though the council can still step in where there is a real risk to the public.
- Power lines down. If a tree has taken cables with it, that is a job for the electricity network operator, not the roads team. Call 105, the free national power cut and emergency line, and keep well clear.
If you are not sure, report it to the council anyway. Staff deal with misdirected reports constantly and will pass it on.
If there is immediate danger, phone 999 first
Call 999 if a vehicle is trapped, someone is injured, water is rising around a car, or live cables are down across the carriageway. Do not wait to file an online form. Once the emergency is dealt with, the council will usually be told about the road closure anyway.
For non-urgent police matters — debris on the road, a dangerous obstruction with no one at risk — 101 is the number.
How to report a fallen tree
- Stop somewhere safe. Hazard lights on, well back from the tree, and never stand in a live carriageway to take a photo.
- Pin down the location. The road number, the nearest junction or house, the direction you were travelling, and which lane is blocked. If you have what3words on your phone, it is the quickest thing to read out.
- Call or report online. Highland Council's main contact line is 01349 886606, and the council website has online reporting forms for roads and flooding. If you are outside office hours, check the website or the recorded message for out-of-hours arrangements.
- Give the essentials. Tree size, whether it is still attached at the root, whether it is touching wires, and whether traffic can squeeze past.
- Add a photo. If you are reporting online or by email, a single wide shot showing the road and the obstruction is worth more than five close-ups of bark.
"Tree down near Inverness" will sit in a queue. "A835, half a mile west of Maryburgh, large tree across both lanes, one lane passable, no wires involved" gets acted on. Location is the single most useful thing you can give.
How to report a flooded road
The same principles apply, with a few extras. Never drive through floodwater to check the depth — you cannot see what the surface underneath is doing, and moving water shifts cars far sooner than most people expect.
When you report it, mention whether the water is standing or flowing, roughly how deep it looks against a fence post or kerb, and whether drains nearby appear blocked. Standing water that appears after every heavy shower is often a blocked gully, which is a routine council repair. Water pouring off a field or a track after a burst of rain may be a land drainage issue, and the council will need to speak to the landowner.
If your property is at risk of flooding, or you want to know what warnings are in place, SEPA's Floodline on 0345 988 1188 is the number to call. Burst mains and sewer problems are Scottish Water's responsibility, and their contact details are on their website.
What happens after you report it
Reports are prioritised by risk, not by the order they arrive. A tree across a carriageway, a road under water or anything involving a school bus route or an emergency access will be treated as urgent. A pothole, a worn sign or a blocked drain gets logged for scheduled work, which can take considerably longer.
Ask for a reference number and write it down. During a named storm the roads teams are dealing with dozens of reports at once, and having your reference to hand makes a follow-up call much shorter. Keep an eye on the council's social media and Traffic Scotland for closures while you wait.
If nothing has happened after a reasonable period and the hazard is still there, call back with your reference. Your local councillor can also chase a stalled repair. If the obstruction is genuinely dangerous and unaddressed, 101 is a sensible next step.
If your vehicle was damaged, photograph everything on the spot — the road, the hazard, the damage, the weather — and keep any recovery receipts. Council compensation claims follow specific rules and strict deadlines, so if you are considering one, take proper advice rather than relying on what you have heard.
A few things worth keeping in the car
None of this needs an app or a folder of paperwork. Know that 999 handles danger and 101 handles everything else. Have the council's number saved in your phone as a contact: 01349 886606. Learn what what3words is and where to find it on your phone before you need it in the dark.
And when you do report something, remember that the person at the other end is often working through a long list in bad weather. Clear, calm detail — where, what, how bad — is the most useful thing you can give them, and the quickest route to getting the road open again.
Photo: jplenio / Pixabay