Last updated:
30th December 2024
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This search is for our information requests from September 2020 onward.
Records on sinkholes in roads 2020-2025
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I am seeking information about reported and recorded sinkholes on roads. This is a definition of a sinkhole: "A sinkhole is a type of void that has no natural external surface drainage. Basically, this means that when it rains, all of the water stays inside the sinkhole and typically drains into the subsurface over time dissolving the rocks beneath. This creates underground spaces and caverns."
My request: for the time period January 2020 to June 30th 2025, please provide the following:
1. The total number of sinkholes reported by the public each year in your region
The numbers of sinkholes per year reported to Wokingham Borough Highways in each calendar year for the period requested are in the table below (Calendar Year: No. of Sinkholes Reported);
2020: 9
2021: 14
2022: 6
2023: 27
2024: 19
2025: 8
Grand Total: 83
2. The total number of sinkholes officially recorded each year in your region
The numbers of sinkholes per year recorded by Wokingham Borough Highways in each calendar year for the period requested are in the table below (Calendar Year: No. of Sinkholes Recorded);
2020: 20
2021: 11
2022: 8
2023: 31
2024: 29
2025: 10
Grand Total: 109
3. A list of the officially recorded sinkholes in your region, with these details:
• Date sinkhole was reported (if reported by a member of the public)
• Date sinkhole was officially recorded
• Location of sinkhole (road or street name)
• Depth (metres) - this can be approximate
• Width (metres) - this can be approximate
• What was the cost of the repair of the road due to this sinkhole?
• What date was the repair completed?
• Was the road closed due to this sinkhole (Y/N)?
• What date was the road closed due to this sinkhole?
• If the road closed, what date did the road reopen?
See attached file for held information. The attached spreadsheet gives a list of individual sinkholes recorded by Wokingham Borough Highways. Unfortunately, it is not possible to link individual reports from the public with works records. This is because a single road defect may be reported more than once by different members of the public, while some road defects are noted during regular safety inspections by highway staff. In addition, the following details are not recorded in the Wokingham Highways works management database and are NOT included in the spreadsheet:
• Depth
• Width
• Was the road closed due to this sinkhole?
• What date was the road closed due to this sinkhole?
• If the road closed, what date did the road reopen?
