Source
Department for Transport — Local road maintenance ratings 2025 to 2026
amberOverall|amber Conditiongreen Spendamber Best Practice
Doncaster: 32,000 Potholes, 13% of Residential Roads in RED
City of Doncaster Council earns a GREEN DfT Spend scorecard and dedicates 86% of funding to preventative maintenance. Yet the overall rating is AMBER — because 13% of its 1,150km of residential roads remain in RED condition, B/C roads in RED condition doubled since 2021, and the council still filled 32,092 potholes in five years.
13%
Of U-roads in RED condition (2024)
1,150km of unclassified roads — 71% of Doncaster's entire network — with roughly 150km flagged for maintenance at the last AEI survey, down from 23% in 2020 but still one in eight residential routes.
What The Condition Data Shows
Five years of SCANNER and AEI survey data from Doncaster's own transparency report — classified roads slipping while residential routes improve from a worse baseline
163km
A roads (10%)
309km
B and C roads (19%)
1,150km
U roads (71%)
1,622km
Total network
A-roads (163km — 10% of network): slowly declining
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2% | 24% | 74% |
| 2022 | 2% | 23% | 75% |
| 2024 | 3% | 25% | 72% |
A-road RED condition rose from 2% to 3% and good-condition roads fell from 74% to 72%. SCANNER surveys cover 100% of classified roads every year — so the council has no excuse for not knowing A-road condition.
B and C roads (309km — 19% of network): RED condition doubled
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3% | 21% | 76% |
| 2021 | 2% | 23% | 75% |
| 2022 | 2% | 22% | 76% |
| 2023 | 4% | 22% | 74% |
| 2024 | 4% | 23% | 73% |
B/C roads in RED condition doubled from 2% to 4% between 2021 and 2023 — and stayed there. Good-condition B/C roads fell from 76% to 73%. Roughly 27% of the B/C network now needs or will soon need maintenance.
And This Is The Well-Funded Version
£5.3m
DfT capital allocation 2025/26
£5.8m
Projected capital spend 2025/26
86%
Preventative share (2024/25)
Doncaster typically spends at or above its DfT allocation — peaking at £14.3m capital in 2021/22 against £12.3m allocated — and classifies 85–86% of spend as preventative. The DfT Spend scorecard is GREEN. Yet classified roads are still slipping and 32,092 potholes were filled in five years. The problem is not the chequebook alone — it is whether the specific road you drove was maintained in time.
The 1,150km Residential Network
71% of Doncaster's roads are unclassified — surveyed by AEI on an alternate-year north/south cycle
| Year | U-roads in RED condition |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 23% |
| 2021 | 17% |
| 2022 | 18% |
| 2023 | 13% |
| 2024 | 13% |
"These are determined by AEI for the Unclassified roads (North of city/South of city alternates each year as a 2 year cycle. This regime is an improvement on the recommended DfT minimum 4 year cycle standard, however this does help the City of Doncaster Council understand condition and priority of maintenance requirements in a more robust manner."
— City of Doncaster Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Progress — But From A Worse Starting Point
U-road RED condition has fallen from 23% in 2020 to 13% in 2024 — a genuine improvement. But 13% of 1,150km still means roughly 150km of residential roads flagged for maintenance at the last survey. That is one in eight unclassified routes.
Doncaster publishes RED percentages only for U-roads — not amber or green splits — so the full condition picture on residential streets is less transparent than on classified roads.
The Alternate-Year Survey Gap
North and south halves of the city alternate each year — so any given residential area gets an AEI condition survey roughly once every two years, not annually. The council describes this as better than the DfT's four-year minimum, but it still means 12 months of blind spots on half the U-road network at any time.
From 2026/27, PAS 2161 will replace the current three-category system with five categories — Doncaster says it will continue using SCANNER and AEIs to deliver the new standard.
Why This Matters For Section 58
To rely on the Section 58 defence under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, Doncaster must show it had a reasonable system for knowing the condition of its roads. For the 1,150km unclassified network, ask:
- • Was your road in the north or south half surveyed in the year of your incident?
- • If 13% of U-roads were RED at the last survey, what was done about yours specifically?
- • How does the council track deterioration on a road it condition-surveys only every other year?
- • Does the council's own data show your road class was already flagged before your damage occurred?
A council cannot claim detailed knowledge of a residential network it only measures in alternate years — then expect that gap to protect it from every claim.
32,092 Potholes in Five Years
Reactive repair volumes from Doncaster's own transparency report — averaging 6,418 per year
| Year | Potholes filled (estimate) |
|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 7,702 |
| 2021/22 | 7,936 |
| 2022/23 | 4,315 |
| 2023/24 | 6,262 |
| 2024/25 | 5,877 |
| Five-year total | 32,092 |
"Over the past five years, the estimated number of potholes repaired has varied from 7936 (2021/22) to 4315 (2022/23), highlighted in table 2.3 below, with an average of approximately 6418 per year."
— City of Doncaster Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
~18 Potholes a Day, Every Day
Averaged over five years, Doncaster fills around 6,418 potholes annually — roughly 18 per day. For 2025/26 the council projects 6,416 repairs based on the five-year average, but notes this "will be affected by external factors, such as the severity of the weather in winter, or other events." A network producing defects at that rate is one where potholes routinely form between inspections.
Preventative Spend Has Not Eliminated Potholes
Reactive maintenance accounted for 14% of total spend in 2024/25 — yet still required nearly 5,877 pothole repairs that year. Preventative maintenance covered 46.37km of carriageway in 2024/25 on a 1,622km network. That is less than 3% of the network receiving capital treatment in a single year — the rest relies on inspections catching defects before they damage vehicles.
The Resurfacing Roller Coaster
Maintenance activity data shows capital treatment volumes swinging sharply year to year
| Activity | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carriageway resurfaced (km) | 7.73 | 31.14 | 31.96 | 8.54 | 11.87 |
| Surface treatments (km) | 29.71 | 26.34 | 39.21 | 26.47 | 32.00 |
| Carriageway patching (sq.m) | 10,795 | 20,194 | 26,559 | 11,829 | 16,639 |
| Footways improved (sq.m) | 61,796 | 160,916 | 57,251 | 72,392 | 53,378 |
The 2023/24 Resurfacing Collapse
Carriageway resurfacing fell from 31.96km in 2022/23 to just 8.54km in 2023/24 — a 73% drop — before recovering modestly to 11.87km in 2024/25. That same period saw B/C roads in RED condition jump to 4% and stay there.
For 2025/26 Doncaster plans 6.3km of resurfacing and 47km of surface treatments — locations "to be confirmed following assessments and approvals."
Spending Table Context
DfT capital allocation swung from £12.3m (2021/22) to £3.5m (2023/24) before recovering to £5.1m (2024/25). Total capital spend tracked higher in most years — £14.3m, £9.7m, £4.7m, £6.0m — with revenue spend rising steadily from £780k to £974k.
Reactive maintenance's revenue share peaked at 17% in 2023/24 — the same year resurfacing collapsed and pothole repairs climbed back to 6,262.
"We continue to prioritise preventative maintenance, with 85% of our funding dedicated to resurfacing, reconstruction, and various surface treatments in 2025/26. Our aim is to improve this by increased capital funding in 2026/27 to improve the network for the public, prolong asset life and reduce emergency reactive repair costs"
— City of Doncaster Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
How Doncaster Inspects Its Roads
SCANNER for classified roads, AEI for unclassified — with a methodology change coming in 2026/27
Classified Roads (472km)
- • A, B and C roads surveyed by SCANNER laser technology
- • 100% of classified roads surveyed every year
- • Three condition categories: Green, Amber, Red
- • RED means "Should be considered for maintenance"
Unclassified Roads (1,150km)
- • Surveyed by Annual Engineering Inspection (AEI)
- • North/south halves alternate each year — two-year cycle per area
- • RED percentage published; amber/green splits not reported
- • Also subject to routine scheduled highway safety inspections
"The balance between preventative and reactive maintenance is determined using a combination of condition data (e.g. SCANNER, Annual Engineering Inspection, visual survey, routine scheduled highway safety inspections), annual performance reviews, and local member and resident feedback."
— City of Doncaster Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
The PAS 2161 Change Ahead
Doncaster's report notes that from 2026/27 a new BSI PAS 2161 standard will replace the current three-category system with five categories. The council states it will continue using a combination of SCANNER and AEIs to deliver to the new standard.
If your incident predates the methodology change, the council's own historical condition records under the current RED/amber/green system are what matter for your claim — not future categories.
Claiming Against a GREEN-Spend AMBER Council
Honest assessment: Doncaster invests seriously — here's how that changes your approach
What Works In The Council's Favour
- ✓ GREEN spend scorecard — capital spend typically matches or exceeds DfT allocation
- ✓ 85–86% of funding classed as preventative maintenance
- ✓ U-road RED condition improved from 23% to 13% since 2020
- ✓ SCANNER surveys 100% of classified roads annually
- ✓ Documented asset management strategy aligned to Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure
Expect a structured Section 58 defence. Generic "the roads are terrible" claims will struggle.
What Works In Yours
- ✗ AMBER condition — B/C RED doubled from 2% to 4% since 2021
- ✗ 13% of 1,150km U-roads still in RED — roughly 150km of residential routes
- ✗ U-roads surveyed only every other year by AEI — alternate north/south halves
- ✗ 32,092 potholes filled in five years — defects form faster than capital treatment covers the network
- ✗ Resurfacing collapsed to 8.54km in 2023/24 as B/C RED condition jumped to 4%
- ✗ AMBER best practice scorecard — not the top tier nationally
The Winning Strategy Here Is Specificity
Against a council with GREEN spend scorecards and an 86% preventative programme, your claim lives or dies on the specific defect:
- • Prior reports of the same pothole (FixMyStreet, council reports) — 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, the alternate-year AEI survey gap is your strongest structural argument
- • Timing relative to the 2023/24 resurfacing collapse when B/C RED condition jumped
- • Whether your road was in the north or south half last condition-surveyed
Mac builds exactly this case: he searches for prior reports, assesses your photo evidence, and cites Doncaster's own transparency data where it helps you.
Hit a Pothole in Doncaster?
A well-funded council demands a well-built claim. £35 for a professional claim pack.
DIY Claim
- • Submit photos and invoices
- • Use generic template letter
- • No U-road AEI survey-gap argument
- • No prior-report search
- • No B/C deterioration timeline
Professional Claim Pack
- ✅ B/C RED doubling documented
- ✅ Alternate-year U-road survey argued
- ✅ 32,092 potholes in five years cited
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to Doncaster
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Doncaster has a GREEN spend scorecard — can I still claim for pothole damage?
Yes. The DfT Spend scorecard is GREEN because Doncaster typically spends at or above its DfT capital allocation and dedicates 85–86% of funding to preventative works. But the overall rating is AMBER because road condition is AMBER — B and C roads in RED condition doubled from 2% to 4% between 2021 and 2024, and 13% of unclassified roads remain in RED condition. Section 58 turns on whether the specific defect that damaged your vehicle was reasonably inspected and repaired, not on aggregate spend.
What if my pothole was on a residential or unclassified road in Doncaster?
U-roads make up 1,150km — 71% of Doncaster's 1,622km network. At the last survey in 2024, 13% were in RED condition — roughly 150km of estate streets, village routes and residential roads. The council surveys unclassified roads by Annual Engineering Inspection (AEI), with north and south halves of the city surveyed in alternate years on a two-year cycle. If your road was in the half not surveyed that year, network-level condition data may not exist for it.
Doncaster filled fewer potholes in 2022/23 — does that mean the roads were in good shape?
No. Pothole repairs dropped to 4,315 in 2022/23 — the lowest figure in five years — before rising again to 6,262 in 2023/24 and 5,877 in 2024/25. The council itself notes the figure "will be affected by external factors, such as the severity of the weather in winter, or other events." A low repair year does not mean fewer defects formed; it may reflect weather, staffing, or reporting variation.
Why did B and C roads in RED condition double in Doncaster?
Doncaster's own SCANNER data shows B and C roads in RED condition rose from 2% in 2021 and 2022 to 4% in 2023 and 2024 — while good-condition B/C roads fell from 76% to 73%. That is 12–13km of classified local roads now flagged for maintenance on a 309km B/C network, at a time when carriageway resurfacing fell from 31.96km in 2022/23 to 8.54km in 2023/24.
Does Doncaster's alternate-year U-road survey help or hurt my claim?
It can help. The council surveys unclassified roads by AEI with north and south halves of the city alternating each year — meaning any given residential area is condition-surveyed roughly once every two years, not annually. The council describes this as an improvement on the DfT minimum four-year cycle, but for Section 58 the question is whether that frequency was reasonable for the specific road where your defect formed — especially when 13% of U-roads were already in RED condition at the last survey.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | City of Doncaster Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 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 AMBER; condition AMBER; spend GREEN; 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.