Every council, including those in Birmingham and the Black Country, have been ranked – with the government warning the rankings could impact funding in the future
The pothole map which ranks each local auhtority in England(Image: )
Councils in Englands have been rated on their pothole repairs as the goverment announces their performance will dictate future funding. The new traffic light rating system gives every local authority in England a red, amber or green rating.
The government revealed it would use the map as an ‘incentive’ to better roads and would link all access to future funding to the performance of the local authorities “ensuring councils are encouraged to get on with the job and use taxpayer money efficiently to repair and maintain their roads before potholes form”.
Drivers in Birmingham have long complained about the state of the city’s roads. But the area has been graded as amber by the government, along with Walsall, Wolverhampton, Solihull and Dudley.
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Warwickshire is also amber, nearby Worcestershire is green and Leicestershire is red. The rating, based on three key areas – the condition of local roads, how much LHAs are spending on road repairs, whether they are following best practice in maintaining highways.
You can view the interactive map here to see how other areas fare.
Amber authorities have room for improvement in those area, and red authorities are ‘not yet meeting the expected standards in one or several areas measured by the ratings’. The government has announced red areas will receive support to bring them in line with best practices, backed by £300,000 worth of expert planning, peer reviews and practical advice.
The new ratings – the first of their kind – come after the government handed out record multi-year investment to councils to improve the condition of their roads. The government said the money was to ‘allow them to repair potholes effectively and move away from expensive, short-term repairs and instead invest in long-term preventative measures’.
The average vehicle repair bill from hitting potholes isaround £320, with some motorists paying over £1,000 last year.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander 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 government’s record £7.3 billion for local road maintenance is enough for LHAs to renew and improve tens of thousands of miles of roads in every corner of the country.”
To further ensure transparency from local authorities, 25% of local highway authorities’ £500 million funding uplift this financial year was withheld until they published transparency reports and set out how they comply with best practice. The withheld £125 million in funding was unlocked at the end of last year by councils which successfully submitted their reports.
Edmund King, AA president and founding member of the Pothole Partnership, said: “The top transport demand for 96% of AA members is fixing potholes with increased investment in repairing and upgrading roads. We welcome this government initiative to hold local highways authorities to account, which should help to promote the Pothole Partnership objective of more proactive and permanent repairs.”
Caroline Julian, Brand and Engagement Director of British Cycling and founding member of the Pothole Partnership, said: “For cyclists, potholes are far more than an annoyance. One unexpected impact can cause a serious crash, life-changing injury or, in the worst cases, a fatality.
“Safe riding depends on safe roads, and a smooth, well-maintained surface isn’t a luxury for cyclists, it’s essential for their safety. This new mapping tool is a step forward. It gives riders clear insight into how well their council is maintaining the routes they rely on every day, whilst holding decision-makers to account.”
RAC Head of Policy, Simon Williams, said: “These new ratings are a positive move that will help drivers understand how councils are performing when it comes to improving the state of local roads. While there are examples of good road maintenance practice taking place, this isn’t consistent across the country and means drivers have, for too long, been left with substandard roads.
“We hope this initiative, plus the promise of longer-term funding for councils to allow them to plan and carry out much-needed preventative maintenance, means we’re finally on the way to having smoother, better roads.”