Councils will face new rules on how they spend funding to fix potholes and maintain local roads, after the government set out new requirements earlier this month. to ensure taxpayers see real improvements.
The government’s has launched a red, amber or green ratings to grade 154 local highway authorities (LHA) based on current road condition and how effectively they are spending the government’s record £7.3 billion funding. This includes a map showing the public how well councils are doing in delivering the improvements they want to see in their local area. Councils now have record multi-year funding to get on with the job of delivering safer, smoother journeys.
New assessment measures of Lancashire’s roads network currently indicate it is in the traffic light “Amber” category, despite claims by the Reform led County Council that is tackling the issue, as they promised in their election manifesto.
In its defence, the County Council, outlining the condition of local rads in a report, argues that in 2023 Lancashire experienced higher rainfall levels over the year averaging at around 125% of the average rainfall recorded between 1991 – 2020. Some areas experienced the highest levels of around 135% of the average recorded rainfall.
Consequently, the highway network was consistently wet from the summer of 2024 through to the winter season. The network was considered saturated for more than 6 months.
This contributed to a significant increase in pothole damage and was further exacerbated by some periods of cold weather over winter.
However, the delay to repairs, and repeated denials to admit responsibility for car damage, the result of the complex way pothole issues are assessed, sometimes seeing roads inspected just once every twelve months, is frustrating road users and infuriating rival politicians. Lancaster MP Cat Smith has even raised the issue in Parliament during Prime Minister’s Questions.
Earlier this year, while able to publish impressive graphics promoting its work fixing potholes, the County Council refused to respond to a Freedom of Information request asking it provide the number of pothole compensation claims received in the last five years, the number of pothole compensation claims paid out, and the amount the council paid out in pothole compensation claims.
In February, the Council claimed a change to reporting processes, coupled with the introduction of a new IT system, left it unable to publish “reliable” data in a format that tracks performance over time. The Lancashire Evening Post reported the problem began last autumn and means expected statistics showing how quickly potholes were repaired between October and December 2025 are unavailable.
You can report a pothole if it meets Lancashire County Council’s required level for work: 40mm deep or over if on a road; 25mm deep or over if on a footway (pavement) or crossing. Reports will be assessed and those that do not meet the required level may not be actioned.
Before the latest county elections, Lancashire was ranked one of worst areas in the country for the amount of potholes, with more than 85,000, according to a report.
The figure of 85,150 was the highest for any shire authority in England, following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to every county council in the country.
New Rules on Road Maintenance
Under new government measures, local highway authorities that fail to demonstrate they are maintaining roads effectively could lose around a third of their £1.6 billion funding for the next year.
Pothole damage already costs the average driver around £500 in avoidable repairs at a time when every pound in people’s pockets matters, and the government is determined to ease that financial burden by ensuring councils fix roads properly.
The changes will ensure that record investment in local roads is used as intended, with a total of £525 million held back from councils across England unless they are transparent and prove they are performing.
Councils must publish reports proving they are spending all of their highways cash purely on road maintenance, showing long-term plans for looking after roads and better training for their highways teams.
These new measures mean taxpayers know exactly where their money is going and will start to see smoother roads and an end to the pothole plague.
“Drivers deserve smooth, safe journeys and we’re making sure every pound goes straight into fixing roads and tackling potholes, not being spent elsewhere,” commented Roads and Buses Minister, Simon Lightwood.
“Potholes aren’t just an inconvenience — they cost drivers hundreds, if not more, every time they cause damage to a vehicle. Fixing our roads is one of the most impactful things we can do to reduce the cost of owning and driving a car and we’re making sure every pound goes straight into doing exactly that.
“We’ve made it crystal clear that councils that fail to maintain their roads will now risk losing up to a third of their funding.
“And for the first time, we’re giving councils multi-year funding so they can plan properly and reverse a decade of decline in our roads.”
The changes have been welcomed by the RAC and AA.
“These measures should go a long way to addressing the poor condition of local roads, which we know from research for the RAC report on motoring is drivers’ number-one concern,” said RAC head of policy, Simon Williams.
“Ensuring money that is given to councils to improve their roads is actually spent on roads is critical, so the government’s focus on this will be welcomed by drivers. And, while fixing dangerous potholes is vital, it’s also very positive to see councils being encouraged to carry out preventative maintenance work, which will stop potholes forming in the future. Having the certainty of funding over the next five years for councils to plan proper maintenance programmes should result in better quality roads for all.
“Fixing potholes remains the number one motoring issue for drivers, so it is right that councils are being scrutinised over their repair plans,” commented Edmund King, AA president.
“We urge local authorities to use their funding to resurface roads rather than simply patch up their streets. Proper investment in the road network helps create safer, smoother journeys for everyone.”
The government is also commencing its new support for the 13 red-rated local highway authorities. Each will be supported with a total of £300,000 worth of expert planning for over two years, designed to help councils raise standards, fix more roads and deliver better results for road users.
The government are also backing local highways authorities with a record multi-year investment to improve the condition of their roads, after years of them calling for long-term certainty.
Web Links
• Lancashire County Council: Condition of Local Roads
• The quickest and easiest way to report a pothole in Lancashire is via the Love Clean Streets mobile app.
You can report a pothole if it meets Lancashire County Council’s required level for work: 40mm deep or over if on a road; 25mm deep or over if on a footway (pavement) or crossing. Reports will be assessed and those that do not meet the required level may not be actioned.