Source
Department for Transport — Local road maintenance ratings 2025 to 2026
amberOverall|red Conditiongreen Spendamber Best Practice
Nearly One in Six Merton Residential Roads Is Very Poor
DfT rates Merton RED on condition — among the weakest road scores in London — kept to AMBER overall only by a GREEN spend rating. The council's own AI surveys show 16.6% of 287.2km of U-roads rated Very Poor in 2024, B&C and residential condition declining since 2022, and 6,663 carriageway defects filled in four years.
16.6%
U-roads rated Very Poor (2024)
Up from 13.8% in 2023 on 287.2km of residential streets — 79.4% of Merton's entire 361.8km carriageway network. A further 27.2% were rated Poor, meaning maintenance "will be required" under the council's own definitions.
What The RED Condition Rating Means
Three years of AI survey data from Merton's own transparency report — B&C and U-roads deteriorating since 2022
Unclassified roads (287.2km — 79.4% of network): declining
| Year | Very Poor | Poor | Fair | Good | Very Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 15.3% | 25.5% | 28.2% | 15.1% | 15.8% |
| 2023 | 13.8% | 26.9% | 29.2% | 16.3% | 13.8% |
| 2024 | 16.6% | 27.2% | 28.5% | 15.8% | 12.0% |
Very Poor U-roads rose from 13.8% to 16.6% in a single survey cycle. Combined Poor and Very Poor share climbed from 40.7% to 43.8% — nearly half of Merton's residential network where the council defines maintenance as required or imminent.
B and C roads (38.5km — 10.6% of network): also declining
| Year | Very Poor | Poor | Fair | Good | Very Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 8.0% | 24.9% | 31.8% | 19.2% | 16.1% |
| 2023 | 5.7% | 27.3% | 32.7% | 19.4% | 14.9% |
| 2024 | 7.9% | 28.4% | 33.3% | 18.3% | 12.1% |
Poor-or-worse B&C roads rose from 32.9% in 2022 to 36.3% in 2024. Very Good share fell from 16.1% to 12.1% — the classified local network is slipping even as A-roads hold relatively steady.
A-roads (36.1km — 10% of network): surveyed via TfL
10.6%
Very Poor (2024)
down from 13.1% in 2023
11.0%
Very Poor (2022)
baseline year for AI surveys
—
2020 and 2021
no surveys — Covid-19 restrictions
A-roads are surveyed annually as part of the Borough Principal Road Network survey TfL undertakes. Principal roads are a tenth of the network — the RED DfT condition rating reflects what is happening on the other 90%.
"Since 2022, the overall condition of our classified non-principal (Figure 4) and unclassified roads (Figure 5) has declined, highlighting the need for additional highway maintenance to improve the overall condition of our roads."
— Merton Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
"Very Poor: Severe deterioration, maintenance will be required"
— Merton Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
GREEN Spend — RED Condition
£606k
DfT capital allocation 2025/26
£4.72m
Projected capital spend 2025/26
83%
Estimated preventative share
Merton spends nearly eight times its DfT allocation — and the DfT still rates it RED on condition. The council plans to resurface just 10km of its 361.8km network in 2025/26 — 13km with additional DfT funding. Money is not the bottleneck. Measured road condition is.
The 287.2km Where Most Claims Happen
Nearly four-fifths of Merton's carriageway network is unclassified residential roads
| Road class | Length (km) | Share of network | Survey frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-roads (Principal) | 36.1 | 10.0% | Annual (TfL BPRN survey) |
| B and C roads | 38.5 | 10.6% | Annual (AI survey) |
| U-roads (Unclassified) | 287.2 | 79.4% | Annual (AI survey) |
| Total carriageway | 361.8 | 100% | — |
How Merton Defines Condition
- • Very Good / Good — no deterioration, no treatment required
- • Fair — moderate deterioration, maintenance may be required soon
- • Poor — moderate to severe deterioration, maintenance will be required
- • Very Poor — severe deterioration, maintenance will be required
Merton uses five AI-derived categories — not the DfT's three-colour RED/Amber/Green scorecard labels. The DfT's RED condition rating is a separate national assessment.
The Three-Year Baseline
AI-led condition surveys were introduced in Merton from 2022. The council states prior assessments used a different provider and methodology, and the resulting data "is not suitable for reliable trend analysis."
You have three comparable survey years — 2022, 2023 and 2024 — all showing B&C and U-road deterioration. That is enough to establish a documented downward trend, even without a five-year history under the current system.
"It is important to note that the recorded condition of our network is a snapshot in time. The reported condition of a section of road can vary across its length, due to multiple factors like repairs from utility repairs and areas of increased vehicle loading, such as bus stops."
— Merton Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Why This Matters For Section 58
To rely on the Section 58 defence, Merton must show it had a reasonable system for knowing the condition of its roads. For the borough's 287.2km of U-roads, ask:
- • If 16.6% of U-roads were Very Poor at the last survey, what was done about yours?
- • The council admits B&C and U-road condition has declined since 2022 — was your defect on a deteriorating section?
- • Condition varies along a road's length — did the survey capture the specific defect location?
- • Annual AI surveys produce network-level data — did that translate into timely repair of your pothole?
A council that documents declining residential road condition cannot claim blanket ignorance of the network state — your claim turns on whether they acted on what they knew.
6,663 Carriageway Defects in Four Years
Reactive repair volumes on a network the DfT rates RED on condition
| Year | Carriageway defects filled | Resurfacing completed (km) | Reactive spend share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 1,415 | 9.2 | 17% |
| 2022/23 | 1,635 | 7.0 | 21% |
| 2023/24 | 1,930 | 6.6 | 18% |
| 2024/25 | 1,683 | 10.2 | 22% |
| 2025/26 (projected) | ~1,600 | 13.7 | 17% |
| Four-year total | 6,663 | 33.0 | — |
Potholes Outpace Resurfacing
Merton filled 1,930 carriageway defects in 2023/24 — its highest four-year figure — while resurfacing just 6.6km that year on a 361.8km network. Even the boosted 13.7km planned for 2025/26 treats under 4% of the network annually. Defects form faster than structural renewal can catch up.
The Council's Own Forecast
Merton expects to fix approximately 1,600 potholes in 2025/26 based on historical trends — while planning 83% of its highways budget on planned maintenance and 17% on reactive day-to-day defect response under its statutory duty to keep the highway safe.
AI Surveys — Innovation With Limits
Merton's inspection approach and what the council says about it
"Road condition assessments on the local classified and unclassified road network in Merton are currently undertaken using Artificial Intelligence (AI) led surveys. This aligns with the approach Transport for London (TfL) take on our Borough Principal Road Network (BPRN). The AI survey detects the condition of a road from video footage and provides an objective consistent approach to determining the condition across our network."
— Merton Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
"Prior assessments of road conditions were conducted using a different provider and methodology. Consequently, the resulting data is not suitable for reliable trend analysis."
— Merton Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Risk-Based Inspection Hierarchy
Merton uses hierarchy risk ratings based on vehicular, pedestrian and cyclist volumes, transport hub locations, emergency service access, schools and event venues. These ratings determine inspection frequency and response times for safety-critical defects.
Resurfacing prioritisation considers condition survey results, historical defect locations, community feedback and highway officer judgement — ranked schemes receive funding first.
AMBER Best Practice
The DfT Best Practice scorecard is AMBER — not RED like Sutton — but Merton's report publishes only three years of AI survey data when the framework expects five. The council participates in London Highways Engineers Group forums and uses investment modelling and business intelligence dashboards — credible systems, but the condition trend still points the wrong way.
Section 58 — Two Different Laws
Merton issues streetworks notices and maintains highways under separate statutory duties
"We publish our planned works on our website (link). This also acts as a notice under Section 58 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, to inform utility companies and developers to restrict works on certain roads within our borough following major road improvements, unless in emergency situations."
— Merton Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Streetworks Section 58 (1991 Act)
Protects newly resurfaced roads from utility excavations for one to three years. Merton coordinates quarterly meetings with utility companies and uses mapping tools to plan works — including successful coordination on Lower Green West in Mitcham.
Highways Act Section 58 (1980 Act)
The defence Merton will raise against your pothole claim. Under Section 41, Merton has a legal requirement to maintain public highways. Section 58 lets the council argue it took reasonable care — but a RED condition rating, documented U-road decline and 6,663 reactive repairs in four years undermine a blanket defence if your specific defect was identifiable and untreated.
Claiming Against a Well-Funded RED-Condition Council
Honest assessment: Merton invests heavily — here's how that changes your approach
What Works In The Council's Favour
- ✓ GREEN spend scorecard — capital spend nearly eight times the DfT allocation
- ✓ 83% of projected 2025/26 spend classed as preventative maintenance
- ✓ Annual AI condition surveys on all B, C and U-roads since 2022
- ✓ Risk-based hierarchy system aligned with the Code of Practice
- ✓ A-road Very Poor share fell from 13.1% to 10.6% between 2023 and 2024
Expect a documented Section 58 defence backed by genuine investment. Generic claims will struggle.
What Works In Yours
- ✗ DfT RED condition rating — among the worst-measured in London
- ✗ 16.6% of U-roads Very Poor in 2024, up from 13.8% in 2023
- ✗ Council admits B&C and U-road condition has declined since 2022
- ✗ 287.2km of residential roads — where most pothole damage occurs
- ✗ 6,663 carriageway defects filled in four years — defects form between repairs
- ✗ Resurfacing treats under 4% of the network annually even with DfT boost
The Winning Strategy Here Is Specificity
Against a council with GREEN spend and annual AI surveys, your claim lives or dies on the specific defect:
- • Prior reports of the same pothole (FixMyStreet, council online 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 16.6% Very Poor rate and documented decline since 2022
- • Whether utility works or bus-stop loading explain localised deterioration the survey may have averaged out
Mac builds exactly this case: he searches for prior reports, assesses your photo evidence, and cites Merton's own transparency data where it helps you.
Hit a Pothole in Merton?
RED condition on a well-funded network demands a precise claim. £35 for a professional claim pack.
DIY Claim
- • Submit photos and invoices
- • Use generic template letter
- • No U-road Very Poor rate cited
- • No prior-report search
- • No decline-since-2022 argument
Professional Claim Pack
- ✅ 16.6% Very Poor U-road rate documented
- ✅ Council's own decline admission cited
- ✅ 6,663 defects in four years referenced
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to Merton
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Merton spends nearly eight times its DfT capital allocation — can I still claim?
Yes. The DfT Spend scorecard is GREEN — projected capital spend of £4.72m in 2025/26 against a £606,000 DfT allocation, with 83% classed as preventative. But the DfT Condition scorecard is RED, and Merton's own AI survey data shows B&C and U-road condition declining since 2022. 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 street in Merton?
Unclassified roads make up 287.2km — 79.4% of Merton's 361.8km carriageway network. At the 2024 survey, 16.6% of U-roads were rated Very Poor and 27.2% Poor — meaning 43.8% of residential streets need maintenance now or soon. The council undertakes annual AI condition surveys on U-roads, but the recorded condition is a snapshot in time and can vary along a road's length.
Merton only has three years of AI survey data — does that matter?
It can. Merton states that prior road condition assessments used a different provider and methodology, and the resulting data "is not suitable for reliable trend analysis." AI-led surveys were introduced from 2022. The DfT expects five years of condition data; Merton publishes 2022, 2023 and 2024 only under the current system. Your claim should focus on the specific defect, prior reports and photos — not borough-wide percentages alone.
The council admits B&C and U-road condition has declined — how does that help?
Merton's transparency report states that since 2022, "the overall condition of our classified non-principal and unclassified roads has declined, highlighting the need for additional highway maintenance." Very Poor U-roads rose from 13.8% in 2023 to 16.6% in 2024, and Poor-or-worse share climbed from 40.7% to 43.8%. That is documented knowledge of network deterioration — which raises questions about whether your specific defect was caught in time.
Does Merton's Section 58 streetworks notice block my pothole claim?
No. Merton publishes Section 58 notices under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 to protect newly resurfaced roads from utility excavations — restrictions of one to three years depending on works. Your pothole claim relies on Section 58 of the Highways Act 1980: whether the council took reasonable care to maintain the specific road. The two provisions share a number, not a defence.
Merton filled 1,683 potholes in 2024/25 — does that mean the roads are fixed?
No. Merton filled an estimated 1,683 carriageway defects in 2024/25, up from 1,415 in 2021/22, and expects to fix approximately 1,600 potholes in 2025/26 based on historical trends. The council plans to resurface just 10km of its 361.8km network in 2025/26 — rising to 13km with additional DfT funding. Reactive pothole filling on a RED-rated network does not eliminate liability for individual defects that formed and persisted between inspections.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | Merton 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 RED; 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.