Drivers across England can now see how well their local highway authority is fixing potholes, thanks to a new traffic light rating system published by the Government.
The new ratings – described as the first of their kind – grade 154 local highway authority (LHA) as red, amber or green based on current road condition and how effectively they are spending the government’s record £7.3 billion funding to fix potholes and invest in long term measures to maintain roads.
The interactive map shows every LHA’s rating, to highlight best practice and drive improved performance from councils.
It comes after the government backed LHAs with a record multi-year investment to improve the condition of their roads, after years of them calling for long-term certainty.
This allows them to repair potholes effectively and move away from expensive, short-term repairs and instead invest in long-term preventative measures.
The fixes will mean more money in drivers’ pockets, says the Government – with the average vehicle repair bill from hitting potholes around £320, with some motorists paying over £1,000 last year.
Heidi Alexander, transport secretary, said: “For too long, drivers have paid the price because our roads were left to deteriorate. I have heard time and again their frustration on footing the bill because they hit a pothole – money they should never have to spend in the first place.
“We’ve put our money where our mouth is, increasing the funding for local highway authorities with £7.3 billion to fix roads and given them the long-term certainty they have been asking for.
“Now it’s over to them to spend the money wisely, and for the first time, we are making sure the public can see how well councils are doing in delivering the improvements they want to see in their local area.
“This government’s record investment will save drivers money on repairs, make roads safer and help restore pride in our communities.”
The red, amber, green ratings are based on 3 key areas:
- the condition of local roads
- how much LHAs are spending on road repairs
- whether they are following best practice in maintaining highways
The rating system shines a light on where local authorities are excelling and, crucially, where more needs to be done to deliver change people see in their communities.
Those that scored ‘green’, like Leeds, Sandwell and Manchester, were able to demonstrate they are following best practice, such as investing in more long-term preventative measures rather than just patching up potholes, while also maintaining good road conditions and investing significantly into improving local roads.
‘Amber’ ranked LHAs showed some of these qualities with room for improvement in individual areas, while those rated ‘red’ are not yet meeting the expected standards in one or several areas measured by the ratings – such as the current state of the roads, their plans for preventing potholes or investment into maintaining their local roads more widely.
To boost standards, LHAs currently rated red will receive dedicated support to bring them in line with best practices, backed by £300,000 worth of expert planning and capability assistance. The support programme will include peer reviews where sector experts will help improve processes and provide practical advice.
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