Source
Department for Transport — Local road maintenance ratings 2025 to 2026
amberOverall|green Conditionamber Spendamber Best Practice
91,661 Highway Defect Repairs in 2022/23 on England's Fifth-Largest Network
Hampshire County Council — distinct from Portsmouth and Southampton city councils — manages 8,698km of roads, England's fifth-largest highway network. The DfT rates condition GREEN but spend and best practice AMBER, for an AMBER overall scorecard. Its own transparency report records a 91,661 defect-repair spike in 2022/23, a significant maintenance backlog, and an admission that published condition figures may understate real deterioration. Section 58 still turns on your specific defect.
32,419
Highway defects repaired in 2024/25
Down 59% from 79,573 in 2023/24 — yet still 26.1% above the 2020/21 baseline of 25,701, on a network where 5,426km of unclassified roads carry most residential claims.
8,698km of Roads — Mostly Unclassified
Network scale from Hampshire's June 2025 transparency report — excluding Portsmouth and Southampton
8,698km
Total carriageway
England's 5th largest network
5,426km
Unclassified (U) roads
62% of the network
2,600km
B and C roads
672km
A roads
Some trunk routes are National Highways
Scope caveat: Hampshire County Council maintains county roads across Hampshire but not roads inside Portsmouth or Southampton city boundaries, where unitary councils are the highway authorities. Motorways and some major A-roads (including parts of the M3, M27, A34 and A303) are maintained by National Highways.
“It is recognised nationally that the condition of local authority highway networks is deteriorating and that they are increasingly less resilient to the demands placed upon them. However, the overall condition of the carriageway network and the rate of deterioration is not reflected in the condition figures that are reported by the Department for Transport.”
— Hampshire County Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
What GREEN Condition Actually Shows
Published red/amber/green breakdowns from Hampshire's transparency report — with the council's own caveat
A roads (672km)
26%
Red or amber condition
B and C roads (2,600km)
29%
Red or amber condition
U roads (5,426km)
7.7%
Red condition — up from 6.8% in 2020/21
GREEN scorecard, documented deterioration
The DfT's GREEN condition rating reflects Hampshire's published network survey data meeting the national threshold. But the council itself states those reported figures do not fully reflect the rate of deterioration across the network — and U-road RED condition has risen while comprising 62% of carriageway length.
- • Roughly 418km of U-roads in RED condition at the last survey (7.7% of 5,426km)
- • A and B/C roads: over a quarter in red or amber condition on published data
- • Council estimates a £500 million highway maintenance backlog across the county
“To try and slow down the rate of deterioration, the County Council has invested significant levels of locally resourced funding over the last 15 years to supplement the insufficient funding provided by Government. However, even with this additional funding a significant backlog of maintenance work has built up across all major assets over the last few decades.”
— Hampshire County Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
Five Years of Defect-Repair Volatility
Highway defects repaired — a broader category than pothole fills alone, from the council's transparency report
| Year | Defects repaired | Change vs 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 25,701 | Baseline |
| 2021/22 | 25,069 | -2.5% |
| 2022/23 | 91,661 | +256.6% |
| 2023/24 | 79,573 | +209.6% |
| 2024/25 | 32,419 | +26.1% |
| 2025/26 (to date) | 22,172 | Reactive and emergency repairs reported by council |
Reactive workload share rising
Defect repairs classified as reactive work rose from 12% of reactive budget in 2020/21 to 30% in 2023/24 — a 150% increase in the share of reactive spending consumed by emergency defect response, on the council's own figures.
Council explanation for the 2024/25 drop
Hampshire says it is taking a more strategic maintenance approach, planning to invest £55.9 million in highways maintenance in 2025/26 and targeting planned work to reduce long-term reactive costs. Lower repair counts do not prove your specific road was maintained to a reasonable standard.
Following the Money
GREEN condition but AMBER spend — projected resurfacing down 53.4% from its 2020/21 peak
£52.9m
DfT highways allocation 2025/26
£55.9m
Planned highways maintenance spend 2025/26
£10m/yr
Extra local planned maintenance since 2010
| Year | km resurfaced | % of 8,698km network |
|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 313.2 | 3.6% |
| 2021/22 | 276.8 | 3.2% |
| 2022/23 | 153.2 | 1.76% |
| 2023/24 | 191.8 | 2.2% |
| 2024/25 | 236.4 | 2.7% |
| 2025/26 (projected) | 146.1 | 1.68% |
Why condition is GREEN
Hampshire's published survey data meets the DfT condition threshold nationally. The council also points to £132 million of long-term government resurfacing funding announced in 2024 and an extra £14.1 million in DfT allocation for 2025/26 — plus £10 million of locally resourced planned maintenance added annually since 2010.
Why spend is AMBER
The DfT spend scorecard is AMBER despite rising government allocations. Planned resurfacing is projected at 146.1km in 2025/26 — down 53.4% from the 313.2km delivered in 2020/21. At that rate it would take roughly 59.5 years to resurface the full 8,698km network once, versus a 20-year industry benchmark. The council also cut planned maintenance by £7.5 million from April 2025 amid wider budget pressures.
Inspections, Surveys and Section 58
How Hampshire says it knows the condition of its network — and where gaps appear
Inspection frequency
- • A roads: monthly safety inspections
- • B and C roads: every three to six months depending on hierarchy
- • U roads: annual inspections — 62% of the network
- • Reactive repairs: council states more potholes are currently receiving temporary repairs first
Prevention vs reaction
Hampshire's transparency report states that if a road does not receive planned resurfacing capital investment, it is more likely that reactive work will be required to fix highway defects such as potholes — and that prevention is cheaper in the long term.
Yet reactive defect work's share of reactive budgets rose from 12% to 30% between 2020/21 and 2023/24 while resurfacing delivery fell sharply from its 2020/21 peak.
Section 41 vs Section 58
Under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, Hampshire 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 GREEN condition scorecard.
- • Was your road on the annual U-road cycle or a three-to-six-month B/C inspection schedule?
- • Did the defect meet intervention criteria during routine safety inspections?
- • Were there prior reports (FixMyStreet, council portal) giving actual notice?
- • Does photographic evidence show defect age beyond the inspection interval?
“Providing sufficient capital investment aims to reduce more expensive reactive works in the long-term. For example, if a road does not receive the required capital investment for planned resurfacing work, it is more likely that an increase in reactive work will be required to fix highway defects such as potholes.”
— Hampshire County Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
What Hampshire Acknowledges
Verbatim admissions from the June 2025 transparency report and related council documents
On funding inadequacy
“It is essential that Government funding for local highway authorities is increased, and longer-term funding settlements provided. This will enable longer-term and more effective maintenance strategies and programmes that will assist in addressing the increasing backlog of maintenance required on the network.”
— Hampshire County Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
On temporary repairs and high demand
Hampshire's pothole reporting page states the authority is facing high demand, that a greater proportion of reported potholes are currently treated with temporary repairs, and that between four and seven temporary repairs can be completed in the time taken for one permanent repair — enabling faster response to immediate safety risks while permanent work is deferred.
Claiming Against a GREEN-Condition, AMBER-Overall County
Honest assessment: Hampshire is not Derbyshire — here is how that changes your approach
What works in the council's favour
- ✓ GREEN DfT condition scorecard on published survey data
- ✓ £52.9m DfT allocation and £55.9m planned maintenance budget for 2025/26
- ✓ £132m long-term government resurfacing programme announced 2024
- ✓ £10m annual local top-up for planned maintenance since 2010
- ✓ Documented inspection hierarchy on A, B/C and U roads
Expect a well-prepared Section 58 defence citing GREEN condition data and large-network scale.
What works in yours
- ✗ AMBER spend and best-practice scorecards from the DfT
- ✗ Council admits published condition figures understate deterioration
- ✗ 91,661 defect repairs in 2022/23 — 256.6% above 2020/21 baseline
- ✗ 5,426km of U-roads (62%) with RED condition rising to 7.7%
- ✗ Resurfacing projected down 53.4% from 2020/21 peak; £500m backlog estimated
- ✗ More temporary pothole repairs while permanent work is deferred
The winning strategy here is specificity
Against a county with GREEN condition scorecards and £55.9m maintenance budgets, your claim 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 age (weathered edges, previous patching)
- • Road class — on a U-road, the annual inspection interval is your strongest structural argument
- • Council's own admission that DfT condition figures may not reflect real deterioration on your route
Mac builds exactly this case: prior-report search, photo assessment, and citations from Hampshire's own transparency data where it helps you — without pretending the council is failing on every scorecard.
Report a pothole to Hampshire 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. The council may treat more reports with temporary repairs while permanent work is scheduled.
Report a pothole — hants.gov.ukHit a pothole in Hampshire?
A GREEN condition scorecard demands a precise claim. £35 for a professional claim pack.
DIY claim
- • Submit photos and invoices
- • Use generic template letter
- • No U-road inspection-gap argument
- • No prior-report search
- • No council condition-caveat citation
Professional claim pack
- ✅ 91,661 defect-repair spike documented
- ✅ Council admission on DfT condition gap cited
- ✅ 5,426km U-road network context included
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to Hampshire
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently asked questions
Does Hampshire's GREEN condition scorecard mean I cannot claim?
No. GREEN means Hampshire performs above the DfT threshold on network-level condition data — but Section 58 turns on whether the specific defect that damaged your vehicle was reasonably inspected and repaired. The council's own report admits the overall condition of the carriageway network and the rate of deterioration is not fully reflected in the condition figures reported to the Department for Transport, and it recorded 91,661 highway defect repairs in 2022/23 alone.
Why is the overall rating AMBER when condition is GREEN?
The DfT assigns separate scorecards. Hampshire is GREEN on condition but AMBER on spend and best practice, producing an AMBER overall rating. That pattern means published network condition looks comparatively strong while the Department for Transport still flags concerns about investment levels and documented maintenance practice. Your claim still turns on the specific defect, photos, prior reports and inspection intervals — not headline colours alone.
What does the 91,661 defect spike in 2022/23 mean for my claim?
It is context, not a guarantee. In 2020/21 Hampshire repaired 25,701 highway defects; in 2022/23 that rose to 91,661 — a 256.6% increase on the council's own figures. Even after falling to 32,419 in 2024/25, repair volumes remain 26.1% above the 2020/21 baseline. That volatility shows reactive workload surging across England's fifth-largest network, which can support an argument that inspection and prevention were overwhelmed — but you still need evidence tying the pattern to your specific road and defect.
What if my pothole was on an unclassified or residential road?
Unclassified roads make up 5,426km — 62% of Hampshire's 8,698km carriageway network. At the last published survey, 7.7% of U-roads were in RED condition, up from 6.8% in 2020/21. The council inspects U-roads annually and B/C roads every three to six months, but a defect can still form between visits — especially where the council acknowledges a significant maintenance backlog and an estimated £500 million highways backlog across the county.
Hampshire says the pothole was not reported before I hit it — does that defeat my claim?
Not automatically. Hampshire has a proactive duty to inspect highways. If a defect existed between scheduled inspections, that may indicate the inspection frequency was inadequate for the road's condition, or that deterioration developed faster than the regime assumed. Prior public reports (FixMyStreet, the council portal) are still the strongest proof of actual notice — but the 91,661 defect-repair spike and council admissions about backlog and reactive workload can contextualise whether a "not reported" defence was reasonable on your road class.
Is Hampshire County Council the same authority as Portsmouth or Southampton?
No. Hampshire County Council maintains county roads across Hampshire excluding the unitary cities of Portsmouth and Southampton, which have their own highway authorities. Motorways and some trunk A-roads are maintained by National Highways. If your pothole was in Winchester, Basingstoke, the New Forest or another Hampshire town, your claim is against the county council — not Portsmouth City Council or Southampton City Council.
How do I report a pothole to Hampshire County Council?
Report potholes via the council's online form at hants.gov.uk/transport/highways/report-a-problem/potholes. For emergencies posing an immediate risk, call 0300 555 1388 (Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm) or 101 out of hours. The council states a greater proportion of reported potholes are currently treated with temporary repairs before permanent work. Prior reports of the same defect strengthen a claim by demonstrating notice. Fixtyer searches for existing reports and attaches them to your claim pack.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | Hampshire County 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 GREEN; 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.