Sun, 11 Jan 2026

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 Potholes map rates council road repair progress

Thirteen local authorities received a "red rating" on the Department for Transport mapping tool for England.

* A new mapping tool and traffic light rating system will show how local authorities in England are tackling pothole-ridden roads.
* 13 councils have received a "red" rating, including Cumberland, Bolton, and Derbyshire (which has previously been dubbed the "pothole capital of the UK").
* Councils with a green rating include Essex, Wiltshire, Coventry, Leeds, and Darlington.
* The government is providing £7.3bn to fix roads over four years.
* The Department for Transport rated 154 local highway authorities as red, amber or green based on road conditions and how well they were using government funds.
* Councils with a red rating will receive extra support, including £300,000 for expert planning and capability assistance.
* Future funding will be linked to performance to encourage councils to use taxpayer money efficiently.
* The UK has more than one million potholes, leading to 25,758 incidents in 2025, according to the RAC.
* Drivers pay an average of £590 for pothole damage, with some paying over £1,000.
* The Local Government Association says councils face a £17bn backlog of road repairs and need long-term funding certainty.
  >>