The Government has published an interactive local road-maintenance ratings map, showing how 154 English highway authorities are performing when it comes to repairing potholes and maintaining roads, grading them on a red, amber or green scale.
The scheme, backed by £7.3 billion over the next four years, aims to make progress more transparent and to incentivise councils to invest in long-term preventative maintenance, rather than reactive patching. The ratings draw on road-condition data, reported spend and adoption of recognised best practice, and can be viewed on the Department for Transport’s online map.
While the LGA said the additional funding was positive, it urged caution over the centralised assessment approach.
Cllr Tom Hunt, Chair of the LGA’s Inclusive Growth Committee, said long-term funding certainty is helpful, but “it is up to local communities to say how well their council is running local services through local democracy”.
He added: “Councils face a £17 billion backlog of road repairs. Only longer-term funding certainty will help councils plan more effectively for future maintenance schemes – focusing on preventative measures, which will ultimately save the taxpayer money – and invest in innovation.”