Source
Department for Transport — Local road maintenance ratings 2025 to 2026
amberOverall|amber Conditiongreen Spendamber Best Practice
Havering Stopped Counting Local Roads in 2022 — 27% Were Already RED
Havering earns a GREEN DfT spend rating by investing millions beyond its capital allocation. Yet the overall scorecard is AMBER — because at the last Detailed Visual Inspection in early 2022, 27.16% of the borough's 532km U-road network was in RED condition, and the council then decided not to gather any further condition data on non-strategic routes.
10,145
Potholes filled in four years
2,794 in 2021/22, 2,265 in 2022/23, 3,080 in 2023/24 and 2,006 in 2024/25 — on a 713km carriageway network where planned resurfacing has fallen sharply.
What The Condition Data Shows
A single UKPMS Detailed Visual Inspection snapshot from January–April 2022 — the last time Havering published network-wide condition by road class
Havering's 713km carriageway network
60km
A-roads
8.4% of network
121km
B and C roads
17.0% of network
532km
U-roads
74.6% of network
1,040km
Footways
plus 113km public rights of way
Three-quarters of Havering's carriageways are unclassified residential and estate roads. The condition picture below is from one survey over three years ago — not a rolling five-year trend.
A-roads (60km — 8.4% of network): January–April 2022 snapshot
23.16%
RED
~14km needing maintenance
15.27%
Amber
61.21%
Green
Even on principal routes, nearly a quarter of A-road length was RED at the last survey. Havering does participate in pan-London strategic network data gathering — but this DVI snapshot is what the council published for borough-wide condition.
B and C roads (121km — 17% of network): January–April 2022 snapshot
26.27%
RED
~32km needing maintenance
20.88%
Amber
52.71%
Green
More than a quarter of B and C road length was RED — and a further 21% amber. Under half the classified local road network was in good condition at the last measurement.
U-roads (532km — 74.6% of network): RED only published
27.16%
RED condition at last survey
approximately 144km of residential and estate roads
Havering's transparency report publishes only the RED percentage for unclassified roads — not a full amber/green breakdown. What is clear: more than one in four U-road kilometres already needed maintenance when the council stopped surveying this network entirely.
The £6 Million Steady-State Gap
£6m
Annual investment to prevent further deterioration
£30m
Five-year steady-state requirement from 2022 analysis
2022
Last borough-wide condition survey date
Havering's own survey analysis found £6m per annum was required merely to hold the network at steady state — yet 26–27% of B/C and U-roads were already RED at that snapshot, and the council has not re-measured non-strategic routes since.
The 532km Monitoring Gap
Three-quarters of Havering's carriageways — with no condition update since early 2022
"Due to the significant costs and time involved with gathering the data for the Detailed Visual Assessment the Council have taken the decision not to gather any further road condition data on non-strategic routes since 2022."
— Havering Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
What "Non-Strategic" Means Here
Havering's U-road network alone is 532km — the estate streets, residential crescents and local connectors where most pothole damage claims originate. The council's 2022 UKPMS Detailed Visual Inspection covered all roads between January and April that year.
Since then, no further condition data has been gathered on these routes. The council participates in pan-London strategic network monitoring, and is trialling Vaisala Road AI software — but published borough-wide U-road condition remains frozen at the 2022 snapshot.
The 144km Question
At 27.16% RED on 532km of U-roads, roughly 144km of residential carriageway was already classified as needing maintenance when monitoring stopped. Without re-surveying, the council cannot demonstrate those roads improved — only that it continued filling potholes reactively.
Analysis of the DVI "provided Officers with a snapshot of the condition of the borough's roads during this period" — a snapshot, not a live dashboard.
Why This Matters For Section 58
Under Section 58 of the Highways Act 1980, a council must show it had a reasonable system for knowing the condition of its roads. For Havering's U-road network, ask:
- • When was your road last condition-surveyed — and has it been surveyed at all since 2022?
- • If 27% of U-roads were RED at the last measurement, what was done about yours specifically?
- • How does the council track deterioration on roads it no longer condition-surveys?
- • Does reactive pothole filling alone satisfy the duty under Section 41 to maintain roads to a reasonable standard?
A council cannot claim detailed knowledge of a network it stopped measuring — while 144km of residential roads were already in RED condition at the last count.
GREEN Spend, AMBER Condition
Havering invests heavily from its own budgets — but cut highway spending in 2024/25
| Year | DfT capital allocation | Total capital spend | Total revenue spend | Preventative | Reactive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | £0 | £8,890,799 | £2,962,893 | 75.0% | 25.0% |
| 2021/22 | £0 | £12,932,716 | £3,157,372 | 80.4% | 19.6% |
| 2022/23 | £0 | £7,949,133 | £3,514,037 | 69.3% | 30.7% |
| 2023/24 | £333,000 | £6,470,912 | £3,875,096 | 62.5% | 37.5% |
| 2024/25 | £333,000 | £5,257,147 | £3,150,701 | 62.5% | 37.5% |
| 2025/26 (projected) | £1,082,000 | £7,689,860 | £3,031,000 | 71.7% | 28.3% |
"However it should be noted that in the 2024/25 financial year the Council made the decision to reduce spending as part of its Medium Term Financial Strategy for that year only. Spending levels were then reapplied to similar previous levels thereafter."
— Havering Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Why Spend Is GREEN
In 2024/25 Havering spent £5.26m capital against a £333,000 DfT allocation — roughly fifteen times the central grant. Total highway spend (capital plus revenue) exceeded £8.4m. The DfT Spend scorecard rewards authorities that invest beyond the formula grant.
The council states it invests the £6m steady-state resurfacing value each year through its Highways Improvement Programme — currently in its third year, with yearly programmes published online.
Why Condition Is Still AMBER
Reactive maintenance share rose to 37.5% in 2023/24 and 2024/25 — up from 19.6% in 2021/22. Capital spend fell from £12.9m to £5.3m over the same period. The 2024/25 MTFS cut came the same year footway resurfacing dropped to 0.86 miles.
Best Practice is AMBER partly because the council stopped borough-wide condition surveys and relies on a 2022 snapshot plus strategic-route pan-London data and an unproven Road AI trial.
10,145 Potholes — And Falling Resurfacing
Reactive repairs continue, but planned maintenance outputs have collapsed on footways
| Year | Potholes filled | Carriageways resurfaced (miles) | Footways resurfaced (miles) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | No data | 21.5 | 14.73 |
| 2021/22 | 2,794 | 20.96 | 17.32 |
| 2022/23 | 2,265 | 8.43 | 8.97 |
| 2023/24 | 3,080 | 10.18 | 3.13 |
| 2024/25 | 2,006 | 10.3 | 0.86 |
| Four-year pothole total | 10,145 | — | — |
Planned vs Reactive
Havering's report draws a direct link: planned maintenance means lengths of road resurfaced; reactive maintenance means potholes filled. The council notes that higher capital investment "would generally result in less burden on the Council's reactive maintenance budget."
Footway resurfacing fell from 14.73 miles in 2020/21 to 0.86 miles in 2024/25 — a 94% drop. Potholes on pavements and carriageways are symptoms of the same underlying asset decline.
The Backlog Admission
"In simple terms the higher the level of investment in the highway the greater the improvement will be to the overall condition of the network and the lower the level of investment the greater the backlog (ie those roads needing maintenance) would be at the conclusion of the investment programme."
— Havering Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Highways Improvement Programme — Year Three
Havering ranks roads from its 2022 DVI data, then applies weightings — speed limits, bus routes, schools, reactive spend history, ward councillor requests — to produce the Highways Improvement Programme. Officers conduct site assessments on top-ranked roads each year before agreeing works with councillors.
The programme is asset-based and published yearly. But the underlying condition ranking still rests on a 2022 survey the council chose not to repeat — while trialling Vaisala Road AI for future use.
A pothole on a road not yet reached by the HIP queue is, by the council's own backlog logic, part of the maintenance debt — not an isolated defect.
The Highways Maintenance Plan — Built For Repudiation
Havering adopted a new inspection and claims policy in December 2024 — in its own words
"This also ensures that the authority discharges its statutory duty to maintain the highway whilst also providing a robust approach to the repudiation of insurance and public liability claims on the Council's highway network."
— Havering Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
What The HMPP Does
The Highways Maintenance Plan Policy follows the UK Roads Liaison Group's Well Managed Highway Infrastructure code. It sets risk-based inspection frequencies, defect prioritisation and repair standards for reactive maintenance — and explicitly targets insurance claim rejection.
Expect a documented Section 58 defence citing inspection records and repair thresholds. Generic "the council doesn't maintain roads" arguments will not work here.
Where The Policy Meets Its Limits
- • Condition data on 532km of U-roads has not been updated since 2022
- • 27% of those U-roads were RED at the last count — the backlog the policy does not erase
- • Reactive share hit 37.5% in 2024/25 — defects forming faster than planned works prevent
- • Prior reports and photos still prove actual notice of your specific defect
Claiming Against a Well-Funded AMBER Council
Honest assessment: Havering invests seriously — here's how that changes your approach
What Works In The Council's Favour
- ✓ GREEN spend scorecard — capital spend far exceeds DfT allocation
- ✓ Published Highways Improvement Programme with asset-based prioritisation
- ✓ UKPMS-aligned inspection and new HMPP aligned to national best practice
- ✓ £6m steady-state investment target — council says it meets this annually
- ✓ Documented claims repudiation framework — expect organised Section 58 responses
Expect a structured defence on principal routes with current pan-London monitoring. Vague claims will struggle.
What Works In Yours
- ✗ AMBER condition — 26–27% RED on B/C and U-roads at last survey
- ✗ No condition re-survey on non-strategic routes since 2022
- ✗ 532km U-road network — ~144km was RED when monitoring stopped
- ✗ 10,145 potholes filled in four years — reactive burden proves defects keep forming
- ✗ 2024/25 MTFS spending cut and footway resurfacing down to 0.86 miles
- ✗ Reactive maintenance share rose to 37.5% — planned prevention losing ground
The Winning Strategy Here Is Specificity
Against a council with GREEN spend and a claims-focused maintenance policy, 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 2022 survey gap and 27% RED rate are your strongest structural arguments
- • Whether your street appears on the published HIP programme — or is still in the unmeasured backlog
Mac builds exactly this case: he searches for prior reports, assesses your photo evidence, and cites Havering's own transparency data where it helps you.
Hit a Pothole in Havering?
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 2022 survey-gap argument
- • No prior-report search
- • No HIP backlog analysis
Professional Claim Pack
- ✅ 27% U-road RED rate documented
- ✅ 2022 monitoring gap argued
- ✅ 10,145 potholes in four years cited
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to Havering
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Havering spends far more than its DfT allocation — can I still claim?
Yes. The DfT Spend scorecard is GREEN because Havering invests heavily from its own budgets — £5.26m capital in 2024/25 against a £333,000 DfT allocation. But the rating that matters for your claim is road condition, and Havering is AMBER overall. 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?
U-roads make up 532km — roughly three-quarters of Havering's 713km carriageway network. At the January–April 2022 Detailed Visual Inspection, 27.16% of U-roads were in RED condition — approximately 144km of estate streets and residential routes. The council has not gathered further condition data on non-strategic routes since that survey.
The council stopped re-surveying local roads in 2022 — does that help my claim?
It can. Havering's own report states it "have taken the decision not to gather any further road condition data on non-strategic routes since 2022." For a Section 58 defence, the council must show a reasonable system for knowing road condition. A network where 75% of carriageways have not been condition-surveyed in over three years is a harder case to defend than one with current data.
Pothole repairs fell to 2,006 in 2024/25 — does that mean the roads are fixed?
No. Havering filled 2,006 potholes in 2024/25, down from 3,080 the previous year — but footway resurfacing collapsed to just 0.86 miles (from 14.73 miles in 2020/21), and the council cut highway spending that year as part of its Medium Term Financial Strategy. Fewer pothole fills alongside reduced planned maintenance usually means fewer reactive jobs logged, not fewer defects forming.
Does Havering's Highways Maintenance Plan make claims harder?
The council adopted a new Highways Maintenance Plan Policy in December 2024, aligned to the Well Managed Highway Infrastructure code. The report explicitly states this provides "a robust approach to the repudiation of insurance and public liability claims." Expect a structured Section 58 defence — but that defence still depends on proving reasonable inspection of your specific road, which is harder where condition data has not been updated since 2022.
What does the £6 million steady-state figure mean for my claim?
Havering's 2022 survey analysis found £6m per annum — £30m over five years — was required merely to prevent further overall network deterioration. The council says it invests that steady-state value each year, yet also cut spending in 2024/25 and reports 26–27% RED rates on B/C and U-roads from the last snapshot. If the network needed £6m just to stand still, roads in RED condition are, by the council's own analysis, in the backlog.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | Havering 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.