Meet Stephen. A Day in the Life of Stephen Housam, Highways Inspector
For nearly 44 years, Stephen Housam has worked on Redcar and Cleveland’s Highways Team, with 28 of those spent as a dedicated Highways Inspector.
At 60 years old, he still loves the job just as much as when he started. The council has four Highways Inspectors with Stephen covering Guisborough and much of East Cleveland, including Loftus, Easington, Liverton, Moorsholm, Lingdale and Boosbeck.
Below, he talks us through a typical day keeping our roads and footpaths safe.
Early morning
My day starts with a cup of tea and a look through my emails. Before I even set off, I prioritise what needs doing, public reports, complaints, councillor enquiries, because some things just can’t wait.
I’m in the van by 7.30am, heading to the most urgent jobs first. These can range from flooding and safety defects to traffic‑accident damage, trees down, missing manhole covers, potholes, broken kerbs, water leaks or knocked‑over bollards. The list is endless.
Wherever I can, I call the member of the public back straight away to explain what action we’re taking. People appreciate being kept in the loop — and it’s important they know their concerns are being dealt with.
Late morning
Once the urgent jobs are under control, I move onto my routine inspections. These can include checks of busy shopping areas, like Westgate in Guisborough, inspections of the main roads and estates.
This is when I pick up most of the safety defects that need repairing. I measure everything, record it, and mark it with spray paint so the repair crews can find it easily.
I see myself as a Highway’s Policeman however, I’m not looking for criminals I’m looking for defects on our highways and footpaths and making sure they are repaired.
Early afternoon
When inspections are done, I usually hot‑desk at places like the library or the town hall. That’s where I log all the defects onto my handheld computer and issue the right work tickets.
Response times vary depending on how serious the issue is, two‑hour or 24‑hour responses for anything dangerous. If I’m first on scene, I make it safe with cones or tape until the crew arrives. Six‑day and 30‑day tickets for issues like potholes, damaged flags or broken kerbs. 99‑day tickets for non‑urgent tasks, such as replacing old street furniture. The key thing is that everything gets recorded and acted on.
All the while, emails and phone calls keep coming in. Being a Highways Inspector means being both reactive and proactive: you’ve got to be ready to drop everything when something serious comes in but also stay on top of the routine work that keeps our roads and footpaths safe.
Late afternoon
By late afternoon, it’s often a race to squeeze everything in before the end of the day. There’s always something new, another call, another inspection, another situation that needs making safe.
Even after nearly three decades in this role, I still enjoy every part of it. You meet all sorts of people, and the job gives you a real sense of responsibility and purpose. And, of course, being outdoors means summer days are the best.
I’ve never dreaded getting up for work, and I’ve no plans to retire yet. As long as I keep enjoying it, I’ll keep going. For me, being a Highways Inspector is a job to be proud of.
Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, Cllr Carl Quartermain, said:
“Stephen is a real asset to the Council and the Highways Team as well as the communities he serves in Guisborough and East Cleveland.
“His experience, dedication and pride in keeping our roads and footpaths safe shines through in everything he does.
“The work of our Highways Inspectors is vital but often goes unseen, and Stephen’s commitment over the last four decades is something we really appreciate.”