Source
Department for Transport — Local road maintenance ratings 2025 to 2026
amberOverall|amber Conditiongreen Spendamber Best Practice
Knowsley: 69% of U-Roads Now Amber or RED
Knowsley Council projects £10.4m on highway maintenance in 2025/26 and earns a GREEN spend scorecard. Yet the overall rating is AMBER — because 69% of unclassified roads are now amber or red, green condition on residential streets has fallen from 42% to 31%, and the council admits roads previously green are sliding towards failure.
55.21%
U-roads in amber condition (2024)
Up from 43.70% in 2020 — roughly 241km of Knowsley's 436km unclassified network. The council warns these roads will become RED without significant investment.
What The Condition Data Shows
Five years of GAIST condition survey data from Knowsley's own transparency report — RED stable, amber rising, green falling
A-roads (79km — 13% of network): mostly amber, not green
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 4.29% | 61.08% | 34.63% |
| 2021 | 4.51% | 61.34% | 34.15% |
| 2022 | 4.33% | 62.60% | 33.03% |
| 2023 | 3.52% | 54.39% | 41.70% |
| 2024 | 3.61% | 59.70% | 36.68% |
A-road RED condition is low, but roughly three-fifths of A-road carriageway is amber — maintenance may be required soon. The 2023 green spike reversed in 2024.
B and C roads (65km — 11% of network): amber rising, green falling
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 5.70% | 48.38% | 45.92% |
| 2021 | 6.34% | 51.49% | 42.16% |
| 2022 | 5.61% | 55.03% | 38.94% |
| 2023 | 5.38% | 54.73% | 37.64% |
| 2024 | 5.84% | 56.37% | 37.79% |
RED B/C roads are broadly stable at around 6%, but amber has risen from 48% to 56% while green has fallen from 46% to 38%. Over 62% of classified local roads now need maintenance now or soon.
And This Is The Well-Funded Version
£7.26m
Projected capital spend 2025/26
£10.4m
Total projected spend (capital + revenue)
70.10%
Estimated preventative share 2025/26
Knowsley projects spending £10,361,708 on highway maintenance in 2025/26 — including £1,010,708 in additional DfT pothole funding — yet the council's own condition data shows a deteriorating amber pipeline across three-quarters of its network.
The 436km Residential Majority
74% of Knowsley's carriageway network is unclassified roads — surveyed annually by GAIST
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 14.20% | 43.70% | 42.10% |
| 2021 | 14.62% | 46.97% | 38.41% |
| 2022 | 14.80% | 47.68% | 28.64% |
| 2023 | 14.92% | 50.24% | 32.02% |
| 2024 | 14.13% | 55.21% | 30.65% |
The Amber Pipeline
RED U-roads have held steady at roughly 14% for five years — about 62km of residential streets in the worst category. But amber has climbed from 43.70% to 55.21%, while green has collapsed from 42.10% to 30.65%.
Combined, 69% of Knowsley's unclassified network is now amber or red — approximately 302km where maintenance is needed now or imminent.
Biennial Drainage on U-Roads
Knowsley's Annex B inspection schedule shows drainage silt surveys on classified roads are annual, but on unclassified roads they are biennially — every two years.
Blocked drainage accelerates carriageway failure. On the road type that makes up three-quarters of the borough, the council checks drains half as often as on A, B and C roads.
Why This Matters For Section 58
To rely on the Section 58 defence, a council must show it had a reasonable system for knowing the condition of its roads. For Knowsley's unclassified network, ask:
- • If 55% of U-roads are amber, what preventative work was done on yours before the pothole formed?
- • When were the drains on your street last cleansed — annually or on the biennial U-road cycle?
- • The council admits amber roads were previously green — was your road in that sliding category?
- • Priority 1 emergency defects rose from 586 to 756 in three years — was your defect visible earlier?
A council that documents a deteriorating pipeline cannot claim surprise when individual defects cause damage.
9,035 Potholes in Five Years
Carriageway pothole fills and safety defect repairs from Knowsley's own report
| Year | Carriageway potholes filled | Total safety defects repaired |
|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 1,398 | Not reported |
| 2021/22 | 1,891 | Not reported |
| 2022/23 | 1,672 | 5,740 |
| 2023/24 | 1,897 | 6,043 |
| 2024/25 | 2,177 | 5,260 |
| Five-year total | 9,035 | 17,043* |
The 40mm Threshold
Knowsley defines a pothole as 40mm deep or more on carriageways and 25mm on footways. Defects below that threshold may not be recorded or repaired under the council's policy — yet can still damage tyres, wheels and suspension.
Emergency Defects Rising
Priority 1 defects — requiring repair within two hours — rose from 586 in 2022/23 to 756 in 2024/25, a 29% increase. Priority 3 defects (14-day repair window) more than tripled from 72 to 254 over the same period.
*Total safety defects sum 2022/23–2024/25 only; earlier years not published in the report.
The Council's Own Condition Admission
Knowsley's transparency report acknowledges a deteriorating pipeline — in its own words
“The Council manages the condition of the highway network effectively using the resources available, whilst the percentage of the carriageway being in the red category has remained relatively consistent over the last five years there has been a significant increase in the percentage of roads that are now categorised as amber that were previously green. Without significant investment the roads which are currently amber will deteriorate into the red category and become expensive to repair.”
— Knowsley Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
“While filling individual potholes provides short-term relief, resurfacing addresses the root cause of road deterioration, ensuring a more permanent solution and extend the life of the road.”
— Knowsley Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
What This Admission Means
Knowsley formally documents that green roads are becoming amber, and amber roads will become red without investment. That is not a network in equilibrium — it is documented decline with a known trajectory.
The council's 2025/26 pothole-funding resurfacing programme covers just 3km across named estate roads — a fraction of the 302km currently amber or red on U-roads alone.
2025/26 Resurfacing Plans
- • Higher Road, Lower Road, Kirkby Row, St Helens Road — 1.5km combined
- • Milton Avenue — 0.8km
- • Evans Street estate roads — 0.7km across six streets
- • Total pothole-funding resurfacing: 3km on a 591km network
Five Years of Spending
Capital and revenue maintenance figures from Knowsley's transparency report
| Year | Capital spend | Revenue spend | Preventative % | Reactive % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (proj.) | £7,263,708 | £3,098,000 | 70.10% | 29.90% |
| 2024/25 | £4,484,509 | £3,215,000 | 58.24% | 41.76% |
| 2023/24 | £8,722,000 | £2,765,000 | 75.93% | 24.07% |
| 2022/23 | £5,176,000 | £2,765,000 | 65.18% | 34.82% |
| 2021/22 | £2,587,250 | £3,415,000 | 43.10% | 56.90% |
| 2020/21 | £3,473,573 | £2,882,000 | 54.65% | 45.35% |
£1.76 Billion Asset, 0.59% Maintenance
Knowsley values its highway assets at £1,756,151,895 under HAMFIG/CIPFA methodology. Projected 2025/26 maintenance spend represents just 0.59% of that asset value — while reactive repairs consumed 41.76% of total spend as recently as 2024/25.
GREEN spend does not mean GREEN roads. It means the council is deploying its budget — but on a network where the council itself warns amber roads are sliding towards red.
Claiming Against a Well-Funded AMBER Council
Honest assessment: Knowsley invests seriously — here's how that changes your approach
What Works In The Council's Favour
- ✓ GREEN spend scorecard — £10.4m projected total maintenance in 2025/26
- ✓ Annual GAIST condition surveys across the full adopted network
- ✓ Documented Highway Asset Management Strategy and Performance Framework
- ✓ New 7-year Tarmac maintenance contract with KPIs from February 2025
- ✓ NHT customer survey participation since 2012
Expect a structured Section 58 defence on classified roads with annual survey data. Generic claims will struggle.
What Works In Yours
- ✗ AMBER condition — 69% of U-roads amber or red, green down from 42% to 31%
- ✗ Council admits amber roads were previously green and will become red
- ✗ Biennial drainage cleansing on U-roads vs annual on classified roads
- ✗ 9,035 potholes filled in five years — reactive repairs rising to 2,177 in 2024/25
- ✗ Just 3km of pothole-funding resurfacing planned on a 591km network
- ✗ AMBER best practice — PAS2161 transition not until 2026/27
The Winning Strategy Here Is Specificity
Against a council with GREEN spend and documented asset management, 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, cite the 55% amber rate and biennial drainage schedule
- • Whether the defect exceeded Knowsley's 40mm pothole threshold — councils sometimes dismiss sub-threshold damage
Mac builds exactly this case: he searches for prior reports, assesses your photo evidence, and cites Knowsley's own transparency data where it helps you.
Hit a Pothole in Knowsley?
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 amber-pipeline argument
- • No prior-report search
- • No biennial drainage schedule cited
Professional Claim Pack
- ✅ 69% U-road amber/red rate documented
- ✅ Council's green-to-amber admission quoted
- ✅ 9,035 potholes in five years cited
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to Knowsley
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Knowsley earns a GREEN spend scorecard — can I still claim?
Yes. The DfT Spend scorecard is GREEN, but the ratings that matter for your claim are road condition (AMBER) and best practice (also AMBER). Section 58 turns on whether the specific defect that damaged your vehicle was reasonably inspected and repaired — not on aggregate spend. Knowsley's own data shows 69% of unclassified roads in amber or red condition, and the council admits amber roads were previously green and will deteriorate further without investment.
What if my pothole was on a residential or unclassified road?
U-roads make up 436km — 74% of Knowsley's 591km carriageway network. At the latest GAIST survey, 14.13% were in RED condition and 55.21% in amber — meaning roughly 302km of residential streets need maintenance now or soon. Drainage on unclassified roads is cleansed biennially, not annually, per the council's own inspection schedule.
Does Knowsley admitting amber roads were previously green help my claim?
Yes. Knowsley states that while RED percentages have stayed relatively consistent, “there has been a significant increase in the percentage of roads that are now categorised as amber that were previously green” and that “without significant investment the roads which are currently amber will deteriorate into the red category.” That is documented knowledge of a deteriorating pipeline — not a stable network.
Pothole fills rose to 2,177 in 2024/25 — does that mean the roads are fixed?
No. Knowsley filled 9,035 carriageway potholes over five years while U-road green condition fell from 42.10% to 30.65%. The council itself notes that “while filling individual potholes provides short-term relief, resurfacing addresses the root cause of road deterioration.” Its 2025/26 pothole-funding resurfacing programme covers just 3km of named roads.
Why is Knowsley AMBER on best practice as well as condition?
Unlike councils that earn GREEN across spend and best practice, Knowsley is AMBER on both condition and best practice while GREEN on spend. The council has asset management plans, NHT surveys and a new Tarmac maintenance contract — but PAS2161 accreditation does not take effect until 2026/27, and drainage on U-roads is only cleansed every two years. Expect a structured Section 58 defence, but with identifiable process gaps on residential roads.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | Knowsley 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.