Darlington: 38.9% of B and C Roads Now Amber
Darlington Borough Council earns an overall GREEN DfT scorecard and matches its capital allocation to the penny — yet condition is rated AMBER because 38.9% of B and C roads now sit in the council's own “maintenance may be required soon” category, while 30,261 potholes were filled in five years on a network just 558km long.
What the condition data shows
Five years of survey data from Darlington's own transparency report — with a methodology break in 2023
A-roads (57km — 10% of network): volatile under AEI
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1.9% | 15.4% | 82.8% |
| 2021 | 1.3% | 13.0% | 85.8% |
| 2022 | 1.5% | 12.0% | 86.5% |
| 2023* | 7.2% | 33.5% | 59.25% |
| 2024* | 4.5% | 29.0% | 66.5% |
*AEI methodology from 2023 — not comparable with SCANNER years. A-road RED jumped from 1.5% to 7.2% the year the survey changed, then eased to 4.5%. Green A-road condition under the old system was above 85%; under AEI it has not recovered past 66.5%.
B and C roads (138km — 25% of network): amber rising
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 6.0% | 28.5% | 65.5% |
| 2021 | 5.4% | 27.1% | 67.5% |
| 2022 | 5.3% | 26.3% | 68.4% |
| 2023* | 4.7% | 27.4% | 67.9% |
| 2024* | 2.6% | 38.9% | 58.5% |
B/C amber surged to 38.9% in 2024 while green fell to 58.5% — the lowest on record in either methodology. Combined amber and red, 41.5% of B and C roads need or will soon need maintenance.
GREEN spend — allocation matched exactly
Darlington spends exactly its DfT allocation — not a penny more — and targets 80% preventative maintenance. The GREEN spend scorecard is earned. But condition remains AMBER because the roads are still producing thousands of reactive repairs every year on a network where two in five B and C roads are flagged amber.
The 363km residential majority
65% of Darlington's carriageway network is unclassified roads — and the survey ruler changed mid-stream
| Year | Red | Amber | Green | Survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 13% | n/a | n/a | CVI |
| 2021 | 16% | n/a | n/a | CVI |
| 2022 | 17% | n/a | n/a | CVI |
| 2023* | 4% | 11% | 84% | AEI |
| 2024* | 8% | 19% | 73% | AEI |
The CVI-to-AEI cliff
Under coarse visual inspection, U-road RED condition climbed from 13% to 17% between 2020 and 2022 — roughly 47-62km of residential streets in the worst category. When AEI replaced CVI in 2023, RED apparently fell to 4%, then rose to 8% in 2024 with 19% amber.
Darlington's own report states the two latest years “are not comparable with the previous three.” A drop from 17% to 4% is a new ruler, not a recovery.
What AEI adds for U-roads
For the first time, Darlington publishes amber and green splits for unclassified roads — 19% amber and 8% RED in 2024 means 27% of the 363km U-road network (roughly 98km) needs or will soon need maintenance.
The entire network — A, B, C and U — is now surveyed annually under AEI. That is an improvement in coverage, but the historical CVI record still documents sustained RED levels before the switch.
“As we have changed survey method the two latest years (2023 onwards) figures are not comparable with the previous years.”
— Darlington Borough Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
Why this matters for Section 58
To rely on the Section 58 defence, Darlington must show it had a reasonable system for knowing road condition. For U-roads, ask:
- • Was your road in the 13-17% RED band under CVI before the methodology changed?
- • If the council now claims 8% RED under AEI, can it explain the 17% → 4% cliff in 2023?
- • Residential streets are safety-inspected quarterly — was your defect visible between inspections?
- • Back lanes are inspected only annually — a longer blind window for defects to form undetected
A council that changes how it measures condition cannot use the new figures to erase the old ones — especially when its own footnote says they are not comparable.
30,261 potholes in five years
Reactive repair volume on a compact 558km network — roughly 54 potholes per kilometre since 2020/21
| Year | Potholes filled | Five-year share |
|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 5,942 | 19.6% |
| 2021/22 | 6,544 | 21.6% |
| 2022/23 | 5,332 | 17.6% |
| 2023/24 | 6,102 | 20.2% |
| 2024/25 | 6,341 | 21.0% |
| Five-year total | 30,261 | 100% |
~17 repairs every day
Averaged over five years, Darlington fills roughly 17 potholes per day across its 558km network. In 2024/25 alone, 45% of the reactive maintenance budget — £321,000 — went on 6,341 pothole repairs. A network producing defects at that rate is one where potholes routinely form between inspections.
5,875 more expected in 2025/26
Darlington estimates its highway safety inspectors will issue orders for 5,875 reactive potholes in 2025/26 based on the previous five-year average. Planned preventative works on 9.5km — just 1.7% of the network — will prevent an estimated 820 potholes: 14% of the annual average.
“When used at the correct time, surface treatments are fit for purpose and last at least as long as its anticipated life cycle (8-10years), demonstrated by the fact that there are significantly less potholes after resurfacing than in the year prior. For example, in the streets highlighted for resurfacing in 2014 there we're 257 potholes in the 12 months prior to surface treatment. However in the following 12 months after application there was only 15, and a total of 184 potholes for the whole 10 years since.”
— Darlington Borough Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
The AEI switch and the GREEN-overall tension
Darlington's own explanation for its survey change — and why overall GREEN does not mean roads are green
“In a bid to gain a more detailed understanding of the highway network, its condition and treatment requirements, in the autumn of 2023 DBC started to use Annual Engineering Inspections (AEI) that look at treatment selection as opposed to a simple condition score. Following an on-site assessment, the AEI survey enables maintenance schemes and treatments to be identified easily and efficiently.”
— Darlington Borough Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
What GREEN overall actually means
Darlington earns GREEN on overall and spend because it matches its DfT allocation, targets 80% preventative maintenance, and runs a documented five-year forward programme from AEI data. Revenue spend is projected at £1.172m in 2025/26 with 31% of the 2024/25 revenue budget on surface treatments.
Best practice is AMBER — the council leads the North East Highways Surfacing Framework via NEPO and trials warm-mix materials, but DfT best practice turns on published asset management evidence and PAS 2161 transition readiness, not procurement leadership alone.
Why condition stays AMBER
- • 38.9% of B/C roads in amber — highest amber share on record
- • A-road green fell from 86.5% (SCANNER) to 66.5% (AEI)
- • 27% of U-roads in amber or red under the 2024 AEI survey
- • 30,261 potholes filled in five years despite 80% preventative spend target
- • CPM recommends 60/40 structural/surface split; council runs 80/20
Planned capital works 2025/26
| Road class | Schemes | Total length |
|---|---|---|
| A roads | 4 | 2.4km |
| B roads | 2 | 0.43km |
| C roads | 1 | 2.5km |
| Unclassified roads | 14 | 4.2km |
| Total carriageway | 21 | 9.5km (1.7% of network) |
Inspection frequencies
Darlington's reactive programme is driven by routine safety inspections on every street:
- • Town centre streets — monthly
- • Main roads — monthly
- • Residential streets — quarterly
- • Back lanes — annually
- • Public reports via Report It — ordered for repair alongside inspection findings
Frequencies follow the national code of practice. Your claim turns on whether the specific defect should have been found at the last inspection for your road type — or was already reported and not repaired in time.
Claiming against a GREEN-overall, AMBER-condition council
Honest assessment: Darlington runs a disciplined maintenance programme — here's how that changes your approach
What works in the council's favour
- ✓ GREEN overall and spend scorecards — allocation matched, 80% preventative target
- ✓ Full-network annual AEI survey from 2023 — better coverage than CVI-only U-roads
- ✓ Documented five-year forward programme with condition projection modelling
- ✓ Code-of-practice inspection frequencies with public Report It integration
Expect a well-documented Section 58 defence on main roads with monthly inspections. Generic claims will struggle.
What works in yours
- ✗ AMBER condition — 38.9% of B/C roads flagged amber in 2024
- ✗ U-road RED was 13-17% under CVI before the methodology changed
- ✗ Council admits 2023+ figures are not comparable — weakens precise network-knowledge defences
- ✗ 30,261 potholes in five years — defects form faster than preventative works reach most roads
- ✗ Back lanes inspected only annually — longest gap between safety checks
The winning strategy here is specificity
Against a council with GREEN overall and spend scorecards, your claim lives or dies on the specific defect:
- • Prior reports of the same pothole (Report It, FixMyStreet) — proof of actual notice
- • Photos showing the defect's size, depth and visible age (weathered edges, previous patching)
- • The road's class — on a U-road, cite pre-2023 CVI RED percentages and the methodology break
- • On B/C roads, cite the 38.9% amber figure as published evidence maintenance was due
- • Back lanes — challenge annual inspection as reasonable if the defect was reportable earlier
Mac builds exactly this case: he searches for prior reports, assesses your photo evidence, and cites Darlington's own transparency data where it helps you.
Report the pothole to Darlington first
Darlington's transparency report states that safety defects identified on routine inspections plus reports via the public Report It website are ordered for repair. Reporting the defect through the council creates a dated record — useful evidence if the pothole was reported before your incident, or if the council failed to repair it within a reasonable time.
Report a pothole to Darlington CouncilUse the council's Report It portal. Keep your reference number and any confirmation emails.
Hit a pothole in Darlington?
A GREEN-overall council still needs a precise claim when condition is AMBER. £35 for a professional claim pack.
DIY claim
- • Submit photos and invoices
- • Use generic template letter
- • No AEI methodology-break argument
- • No prior-report search
- • No B/C amber condition cited
Professional claim pack
- ✅ 38.9% B/C amber condition documented
- ✅ CVI-to-AEI methodology break argued
- ✅ 30,261 repairs in five years cited
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to Darlington
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently asked questions
Darlington has a GREEN overall DfT rating — can I still claim for pothole damage?
Yes. The overall GREEN scorecard reflects strong spend and asset management, but the DfT Condition rating is AMBER — and that is what matters for your claim. Darlington's own 2024 AEI data shows 38.9% of B and C roads in amber and 8% of unclassified roads in red. Section 58 turns on whether the specific defect that damaged your vehicle was reasonably inspected and repaired, not on the headline scorecard colour.
Does the switch to Annual Engineering Inspections (AEI) in 2023 affect my claim?
It cuts both ways. Darlington adopted AEI in autumn 2023, replacing SCANNER and coarse visual inspection. The council states that figures from 2023 onwards “are not comparable with the previous years.” That weakens any Section 58 defence relying on precise year-on-year network knowledge — but it also means you should cite the pre-2023 SCANNER/CVI records where they show deterioration, and challenge any council attempt to use the post-2023 drop in U-road RED as proof roads improved.
What if my pothole was on a residential or unclassified road?
U-roads make up 363km — 65% of Darlington's 558km network. Under coarse visual inspection, 13-17% of U-roads were in RED condition from 2020 to 2022. The 2024 AEI survey shows 8% RED, 19% amber and 73% green — but those figures use a different methodology. Residential streets are inspected quarterly for safety defects; back lanes only annually.
Darlington matches its DfT capital allocation exactly — does that weaken my claim?
Not necessarily. Darlington projects £3.076m capital spend against a £3.076m DfT allocation in 2025/26. That supports the GREEN spend scorecard. But the council estimates 5,875 reactive pothole orders in 2025/26, and planned preventative works on 9.5km will prevent only an estimated 820 potholes — 14% of the annual average. Reactive volume and AMBER condition coexist.
What does “amber” mean on Darlington's B and C roads for my claim?
Darlington defines amber as “maintenance may be required soon.” In 2024, 38.9% of B and C roads sat in that category, up from roughly 27% under SCANNER. If your pothole was on a B or C road flagged amber, that is published evidence the council knew maintenance was approaching.
Darlington filled 6,341 potholes in 2024/25 — does that mean the roads are fixed?
No. Darlington filled 6,341 potholes in 2024/25 — 45% of its reactive budget (£321k) — yet condition remains AMBER. Over five years the council filled 30,261 potholes on 558km, averaging roughly 17 repairs every day. Reactive repairs treat symptoms; they do not reset network condition.
How often does Darlington inspect the road where I had my incident?
Town centre streets and main roads are inspected monthly. Residential streets are inspected quarterly. Back lanes are inspected annually. Safety defects from these inspections plus Report It submissions are ordered for repair. Quarterly residential inspection means a pothole could form and cause damage between visits — especially if prior reports were not acted on promptly.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | Darlington Borough Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.