Source
Department for Transport — Local road maintenance ratings 2025 to 2026
redOverall|red Conditionamber Spendamber Best Practice
20/100 on Every DfT Road-Condition Metric — England's Lowest Band
Derbyshire County Council — distinct from Derby City Council — maintains 5,346km of adopted highways across the county. The DfT rates it RED overall and on condition, with AMBER on spend and best practice. All three published condition metrics score 20/100 — the lowest band among 154 rated English highway authorities. U-roads in poor condition rose from 21% to 36% between 2020 and 2024, the council admits “under investment in preventative treatments”, and most C and U-roads are condition-surveyed on a five-year cycle. Section 58 still turns on your specific defect.
36%
U-roads in poor condition (2024)
Up from 21% in 2020 on 2,885km of unclassified roads — 54% of the network (derived) — while DfT condition scores sit at 20/100 on A, B/C and U-roads alike.
Department for Transport Ratings
2025 to 2026 scorecards — RED on overall and condition; AMBER on spend and best practice
| Metric | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | — | red |
| A-road condition | 20/100 | red |
| B/C road condition | 20/100 | red |
| U-road condition | 20/100 | red |
| Condition scorecard | — | red |
| Spend scorecard | — | amber |
| Best practice scorecard | — | amber |
Methodology caveat: Derbyshire measures condition using its Annual Engineers Inspection (AEI) treatment survey, not SCANNER laser surveys. The council states this “has led to a more realistic view of our network and unfortunately this is at odds with most SCANNER based authorities' road condition statistics.” DfT scores and council percentages may not be directly comparable to laser-surveyed authorities.
What RED condition means: A RED condition scorecard indicates the road network has significantly deteriorated. Derbyshire's 20/100 on all three road-class metrics places it in the lowest band among 154 rated English highway authorities — but spend and best practice are AMBER, not RED.
Source: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026
5,346km of Roads — Mostly Unclassified
Network scale from Derbyshire's 2025 transparency report — county roads only, excluding Derby City
5,346km
Total carriageway
2,885km
Unclassified (U) roads
54% of the network (derived)
1,777km
B and C roads
684km
A roads
| Asset | Scale |
|---|---|
| Footways | 5,113km |
| Public rights of way | 5,224km |
| Cycleways and greenways | 276km |
| Total highway asset value | Over £8 billion |
"U-roads make up over 50% of Derbyshire's network and have historically been underfunded compared to more strategic hierarchies."
— Derbyshire County Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Poor-Condition Share Rising Since 2020
Red (poor condition) percentages from Derbyshire's AEI surveys — 2020 to 2024
A-roads (684km) — surveyed annually
2020:13% poor
2024:28% poor
+115% rise in poor share (derived)
B and C roads (1,777km)
2020:14% poor
2024:38% poor
+171% rise in poor share (derived)
B-roads surveyed 100% annually; C-roads ~20% per year on a five-year cycle.
U-roads (2,885km) — ~20% surveyed per year
2020:21% poor
2024:36% poor
+71% rise in poor share (derived)
Context: B and C roads in poor condition nearly tripled as a share of the network between 2020 and 2024. These are the school-run and commute routes — not motorways. U-road poor condition peaked at 43% in 2021 before settling at 36% in 2024, still well above the 2020 baseline.
AMBER Spend Despite Rising Budgets
Capital spend is projected to match DfT allocation in 2025/26 — yet the spend scorecard stays AMBER
| Year | DfT capital (£000s) | Capital spend (£000s) | Revenue spend (£000s) | Preventative | Reactive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (proj.) | 41,174 | 40,000 | 19,938 | 67% | 33% |
| 2024/25 | 30,385 | 28,148 | 18,937 | 60% | 40% |
| 2023/24 | 34,236 | 31,629 | 21,123 | 60% | 40% |
| 2022/23 | 27,371 | 32,501 | 20,522 | 61% | 39% |
Why spend is AMBER, not GREEN
The DfT spend scorecard weighs capital spend against allocation and related metrics — not just the preventative/reactive split. Derbyshire projected £40m capital spend against £41.174m DfT allocation in 2025/26, close to parity, but still earns AMBER alongside an AMBER best-practice scorecard.
Why claims still happen
Even at 60% preventative spend in 2024/25, the council confirms it usually spends £2 million to £3 million each year filling potholes — reactive work on a network where poor-condition shares are rising. Budget volume does not prove every defect was caught within inspection intervals.
£2–3 Million a Year on Pothole Filling
Reactive repair volumes from the council's transparency report — with an official reliability caveat
Data caveat: Derbyshire publishes estimated potholes filled from 2020/21 to 2023/24 but states: “Further analysis indicates inaccuracies in the table, therefore, we cannot confirm its reliability.” The council is implementing a new asset management system. Treat fill counts as indicative, not definitive.
| Year | Estimated potholes filled |
|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 92,775 |
| 2021/22 | 102,225 |
| 2022/23 | 85,726 |
| 2023/24 | 80,254 |
"Depending on the number of potholes in a year we usually spend between £2 million and £3 million filling them."
— Derbyshire County Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Inspections, Surveys and Section 58
How Derbyshire says it knows the condition of its network — and where gaps appear
Condition survey frequency
- • A-roads: 100% surveyed annually
- • B-roads: 100% surveyed annually
- • C-roads: approximately 20% per year on a five-year cycle
- • U-roads: approximately 20% per year on a five-year cycle
Resilient vs non-resilient network
Derbyshire splits its network into “resilient” roads prioritised during adverse weather and a “non-resilient” remainder, using a hierarchy ranked 1 to 7. Most C and U-roads sit lower in that hierarchy — where survey gaps and underfunding admissions concentrate.
Section 41 vs Section 58
Under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, Derbyshire must maintain public highways. To defend a claim under Section 58, it must show a reasonable system for inspecting and repairing the specific defect — not just publish a RED DfT scorecard.
- • Was your road on the five-year C or U-road survey cycle — and had it been surveyed recently?
- • On C or U-roads, roughly 80% of the network is not condition-surveyed in any given year (derived from the 20% annual rate)
- • Were there prior reports (FixMyStreet, council portal) giving actual notice beyond network surveys?
- • Does photographic evidence show defect age beyond the inspection interval?
Combined with RED condition ratings, rising poor-condition shares and the council's own admissions of under-investment, these gaps give a Section 58 defence questions to answer — but your claim still needs specific evidence about your pothole.
"The overall decline in local road condition has not been helped by an under investment in preventative treatments and the impacts of extreme weather events."
— Derbyshire County Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
What Derbyshire Acknowledges
Verbatim admissions from the 2025 transparency report
On underfunding U-roads
"U-roads make up over 50% of Derbyshire's network and have historically been underfunded compared to more strategic hierarchies."
— Derbyshire County Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
On preventative maintenance failure
"The lack of preventative maintenance means that roads become less able to cope with extremes of temperature and severe weather, due to a loss of flexibility in the asphalt as it ages, causing it to pothole and fail."
— Derbyshire County Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
On national backlog context
"The poor condition of local roads has been a concern nationally for many years, with a figure of £16.81 billion quoted as a one-time catch-up figure nationally which would take 12 years to achieve."
— Derbyshire County Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Source: Derbyshire County Council — Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report
Claiming Against England's Lowest-Rated County Network
Honest assessment: Derbyshire's RED condition data is among the strongest nationally — but spend and best practice are AMBER
What works in the council's favour
- ✓ AMBER spend scorecard — capital spend near DfT allocation in 2025/26
- ✓ 60% preventative maintenance estimated in 2024/25, rising to 67% projected
- ✓ A and B-roads condition-surveyed 100% annually
- ✓ Documented resilient/non-resilient network hierarchy and asset management system upgrade
Expect a structured Section 58 defence on A and B-roads with recent survey data. Do not overclaim on those corridors.
What works in yours
- ✗ RED overall and condition scorecards with 20/100 on every DfT road-class metric
- ✗ 2,885km of U-roads — 54% of network — on a five-year survey cycle
- ✗ U-road poor condition at 36% in 2024, up from 21% in 2020
- ✗ B/C poor condition share rose from 14% to 38% in four years
- ✗ Council admits under-investment in preventative treatments and historical U-road underfunding
- ✗ AEI methodology produces “more realistic” figures at odds with SCANNER-based authorities
The winning strategy here is specificity
Against a county with England's lowest DfT condition band, your claim still lives or dies on the specific defect:
- • Prior reports of the same pothole — proof of actual notice beyond network surveys
- • Photos showing defect size, depth and visible age (weathered edges, previous patching)
- • Road class — on a C or U-road, the five-year survey gap is your strongest structural argument
- • DfT 20/100 condition scores and council admissions cited where they support your road type
Mac builds exactly this case: prior-report search, photo assessment, and citations from Derbyshire's own transparency data — without pretending every scorecard is RED.
Report a pothole to Derbyshire County Council
Reporting a defect creates a record the council had notice. Do this before claiming — and tell us when you reported it so we can reference it in your pack.
Report a road fault — derbyshire.gov.ukHit a Pothole in Derbyshire?
England's lowest DfT condition band demands a precise claim. £35 for a professional claim pack.
DIY claim
- • Submit photos and invoices
- • Use generic template letter
- • No five-year C/U-road survey-gap argument
- • No prior-report search
- • Claims “RED on every metric” when spend is AMBER
Professional claim pack
- ✅ Accurate DfT scorecard (RED condition, AMBER spend)
- ✅ Five-year C/U-road survey cycle argued
- ✅ 36% U-road poor condition and council admissions cited
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to Derbyshire
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently asked questions
Does Derbyshire's RED overall rating guarantee my claim will succeed?
No rating guarantees success. Section 58 turns on whether the specific defect that damaged your vehicle was reasonably inspected and repaired. But Derbyshire's RED overall and condition scorecards — with 20/100 on every DfT road-condition metric — are official evidence that the network is in the worst-rated band nationally, which can support a claim when combined with dated photos, prior reports and the road's survey cycle.
Why is spend rated AMBER when condition is RED?
The DfT spend scorecard is separate from condition. Derbyshire projected £40m capital spend against a £41.174m DfT allocation in 2025/26 and estimated 60% preventative maintenance in 2024/25 — yet still earns AMBER on spend and best practice. Aggregate budgets do not prove the individual pothole was known and repaired within inspection intervals. Section 58 is about your specific defect, not headline spend.
Is Derbyshire County Council the same as Derby City Council?
No. Derbyshire County Council maintains adopted highways across the county except within Derby City, which is a separate unitary authority. If your pothole was in Chesterfield, Matlock, Buxton or another Derbyshire town, your claim is against the county council. If it was inside Derby city limits, it goes to Derby City Council instead.
What if my pothole was on an unclassified or C-road?
Unclassified roads make up 2,885km — 54% of Derbyshire's 5,346km carriageway network (derived). The council surveys approximately 20% of U-roads and 20% of C-roads annually on a five-year cycle, while B-roads are surveyed 100% each year. If your incident was on a C or U-road, there is a structural gap between network-level surveys and the day your damage occurred.
Can I reference the DfT ratings in my claim?
Yes. The Department for Transport Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 are published government data. Derbyshire's 20/100 scores on A, B/C and U-road condition — with RED overall and condition scorecards — can be cited alongside the council's own transparency report admissions.
The council says its pothole-fill table may be unreliable — can I still use the data?
Use it cautiously. Derbyshire's transparency report states that "further analysis indicates inaccuracies in the table, therefore, we cannot confirm its reliability" for estimated potholes filled from 2020/21 to 2023/24. The council does confirm it usually spends £2 million to £3 million filling potholes each year. Prior reports, photos and inspection-cycle arguments are safer primary evidence than the disputed fill counts.
How do I report a pothole to Derbyshire County Council?
Report road faults via the council's online system at derbyshire.gov.uk — you receive a unique reference number to track progress. Prior reports of the same defect strengthen a claim by demonstrating the council had notice before your incident. Fixtyer searches for existing reports and attaches them to your claim pack.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | Derbyshire County Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (2025). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Reusable evidence record
Council rating evidence and provenance
Rating period: 2025-2026 · Reviewed 19 July 2026
Observed DfT fact
Overall RED; condition RED; spend AMBER; best practice AMBER.
Cautious interpretation
This is network-level context. The rating does not determine liability for a particular incident or establish what was known about a specific defect.
Correction status: No correction recorded.