BROKEN streetlamps and crooked paving stones can now be reported and mended more easily with the introduction of a new fault-reporting service by Hertfordshire County Council.

Members of the public can now either telephone the council's customer service centre or log the fault on the website: www.hertsdirect.org.

County councillor and transport panel chairman, Nigel Brook, said: "The aim of the service is to provide a straightforward method for people to report faults found on a road or pavement, such as a pothole, a broken streetlight or a tree that has fallen down across the road."

Previously, residents would have to thumb through Yellow Pages to find the one office amongst 29 which could address the fault as pavements, lights, motorways, drains were all monitored through separate offices.

With the installation of the council's new online and telephone reporting facilities, reports can be inputted into the council database HERMIS which then relays the information to the relevant highway office who will fix the damage accordingly.

The new fault reporting telephone numbers are 01923 471320 if you are calling from area codes 01923 or 0208, or 01438 737320 if you are calling from any other area in Hertfordshire.

Alternatively, report the fault on the county council website at: www.hertsdirect.org/highwayfaults.