Source
Department for Transport — Local road maintenance ratings 2025 to 2026
amberOverall|amber Conditionamber Spendred Best Practice
North Northamptonshire: RED for Best Practice, AMBER on the Ground
North Northamptonshire's own transparency report lists Roadmender, thermal patching and spray injection as embedded innovations — yet the DfT rates its wider best practice RED. Overall is AMBER because only 8.58% of B/C roads remain in good condition, 12.86% of U-roads are RED, and the council filled an estimated 68,678 potholes in five years while spending just 15–22% of its budget on preventative carriageway work.
RED
Wider best practice scorecard
The DfT measures whether councils adopt recognised efficiency and innovation practices. North Northamptonshire fails that test — despite claiming a preventative asset management strategy in its own published report.
The RED Best Practice Scorecard
What the DfT measures — and what North Northamptonshire's own report reveals
"We continue to explore innovations in materials and processes that will support cost-efficiency and sustainability. We have innovations working groups that explore ideas that can be trialled, and we also collaborate and share best practice with other local authorities who use the same service provider."
— North Northamptonshire Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
"Through our asset management approach, we use network intelligence to help prioritise future planned and preventative repairs. Modelling is used to help determine the level of funding that is needed and to help inform future investment needs. The preventative approach to carriageway maintenance will drive a significant increase in preventative maintenance activities from 2026."
— North Northamptonshire Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
What RED Means
The DfT wider best practice scorecard assesses whether a council follows recognised highways maintenance efficiency practices — including technologies to fix and prevent potholes more efficiently. A RED rating means North Northamptonshire is among the lowest performers nationally on that measure.
That matters for Section 58: the council cannot point to official best-practice recognition while arguing its maintenance system was reasonable. The gap between claimed innovation and DfT assessment is yours to explore.
The Numbers Behind RED
- • Preventative carriageway spend: just 15–22% across 2022/23–2025/26
- • Reactive maintenance (including pothole filling): 29–32% every year
- • 2025/26 planned preventative works: 3.7km micro asphalt, 12.4km surface dressing, 1.2km resurfacing on a 1,853km network
- • Preventative increase promised — but only from 2026
Section 58 and Section 41 Highways Act
Under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, North Northamptonshire must maintain its roads. Under Section 58, it can defend a claim only if it proves a reasonable inspection and repair system — and that the specific defect was not actionable under that system.
A RED best practice scorecard does not automatically win your claim — but it undercuts any blanket assertion that the council runs a modern, efficient maintenance regime. Pair it with the condition data, pothole repair volumes and your own evidence of prior reports.
What The Condition Data Shows
Five years of annual camera survey data from North Northamptonshire's own transparency report — A-roads losing green coverage, B/C roads collapsing, U-roads stuck in double-digit RED
| Road class | Length (km) | Share of network |
|---|---|---|
| A roads | 287 | 15.5% |
| B and C roads | 551 | 29.7% |
| U roads | 1,015 | 54.8% |
| Total roads | 1,853 | 100% |
A-roads (287km): green share halving
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2.79% | 58.27% | 38.94% |
| 2021 | 4.1% | 62.8% | 33.1% |
| 2022 | 4.2% | 65.4% | 30.4% |
| 2023 | 3.06% | 70.6% | 26.34% |
| 2024 | 3.55% | 71.5% | 24.95% |
Good-condition A-roads have fallen from 38.94% to 24.95% in four years. Over 71% are now amber — "maintenance may be required soon" in the council's own definitions.
B and C roads (551km): only 8.58% in good condition
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 6.94% | 75.89% | 17.17% |
| 2021 | 10.3% | 76.5% | 13.2% |
| 2022 | 11.4% | 77.2% | 11.4% |
| 2023 | 9.87% | 81.54% | 8.59% |
| 2024 | 10.42% | 81% | 8.58% |
RED B/C roads are up from 6.94% to 10.42%. Good-condition B/C roads have halved from 17.17% to 8.58%. Over 91% of the B/C network is now amber or red — maintenance needed or imminent.
U-roads (1,015km): RED condition holding above 12%
| Year | U-roads in RED condition |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 10.77% |
| 2021 | 13.4% |
| 2022 | 14.4% |
| 2023 | 11.59% |
| 2024 | 12.86% |
At 12.86% RED, roughly 130km of unclassified roads — estates, village streets and residential routes — are classified as needing maintenance. Unlike some councils, North Northamptonshire surveys U-roads annually.
"Red - Should be considered for maintenance. Amber - Maintenance may be required soon. Green - No further investigation or treatment required."
— North Northamptonshire Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
"However, it is recognised that limitations on funding may restrict maintenance spending in the short and medium term and in such situations the network will need to be proactively managed to maintain safety and availability."
— North Northamptonshire Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Spending Above Allocation, Still Mostly Reactive
North Northamptonshire's AMBER spend scorecard — capital above DfT allocation, but preventative share stuck in the teens
| Year | DfT capital (£,000s) | Capital spend (£,000s) | Revenue spend (£,000s) | Preventative | Reactive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | £8,404 | £8,175 | £7,180 | 15% | 30% |
| 2023/24 | £10,967 | £10,577 | £6,629 | 16% | 32% |
| 2024/25 | £9,473 | £14,440 | £7,041 | 22% | 30% |
| 2025/26 (proj.) | £12,377 | £15,768 | £7,697 | 18% | 29% |
Unitary Authority Context
North Northamptonshire Council became a unitary authority in April 2021. Individual DfT funding allocations for North and West Northamptonshire were first made in April 2022 — so the spending table covers four financial years, not five. Pothole repair figures for 2020/21 and 2021/22 are estimated from pre-unitary data.
The Preventative Gap
Reactive maintenance — work needed to repair assets such as filling potholes — accounts for roughly double the preventative carriageway share every year. The council itself says a "significant increase" in preventative work will only come from 2026.
"Reactive maintenance covers work that is needed to repair assets, such as filling potholes."
— North Northamptonshire Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
68,678 Pothole Repairs in Five Years
Estimated carriageway reactive repairs — the council's own count of defects filled
| Year | Estimated potholes filled |
|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 15,821 |
| 2021/22 | 13,645 |
| 2022/23 | 11,320 |
| 2023/24 | 13,542 |
| 2024/25 | 14,350 |
| Five-year total | 68,678 |
~38 Repairs a Day, Every Day
Averaged over five years, North Northamptonshire fills an estimated 38 carriageway defects per day. A network producing potholes at that rate is one where defects routinely form between inspections — exactly the scenario where prior reports and photographic evidence decide claims.
Potholes Are the Top Report
The council states potholes are "the defect that is most reported through our online reporting tool" and that reactive spend "is based on an agreed risk based approach." If you reported your pothole online before the damage, that report is direct evidence of notice.
"Potholes are the defect that is most reported through our online reporting tool. In addition to customer reporting, we also conduct regular inspections of the highway network, to identify any safety repairs that are needed. This drives the reactive spend, which is based on an agreed risk based approach."
— North Northamptonshire Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Annual Surveys — And a Methodology Change Ahead
North Northamptonshire surveys its network every year — but the standard is about to change again
"Since 2020, road condition assessments on the North Northamptonshire local road network have been captured annually, using high-resolution cameras mounted on vehicles that capture thousands of detailed images of the road surface as the vehicle drives along. These images are then assessed and analysed using specialist software. This is in line with the new national standard BSI PAS2161 as detailed below."
— North Northamptonshire Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
"From 2026/27 a new methodology will be used based on the BSI PAS2161 standard. Local Highway Authorities will be required to use a supplier that has been accredited against PAS2161. This new standard will categorise roads into five categories instead of three to help government gain a more detailed understanding of road condition in England."
— North Northamptonshire Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Why This Matters For Section 58
Annual camera surveys mean the council cannot claim ignorance of network condition. For your claim, ask:
- • When was your road last camera-surveyed, and what category was it assigned?
- • If classified RED or amber, what maintenance followed within the council's risk-based response times?
- • Did you report the defect online — the council's most-reported defect type?
- • How does a RED best practice scorecard sit alongside claimed PAS2161-aligned surveys?
Knowledge without timely action is the gap Section 58 exposes. Annual surveys strengthen your argument if the council knew — or should have known — your road was deteriorating.
Claiming Against an AMBER Council With a RED Best Practice Flag
Honest assessment: North Northamptonshire is not West Northamptonshire — but the RED scorecard and condition data give you real leverage
What Works In The Council's Favour
- ✓ AMBER spend — capital spend exceeded DfT allocation in 2024/25 (£14.44m vs £9.47m)
- ✓ Annual camera surveys on all road classes including U-roads
- ✓ Documented asset management policy and published innovation tools (Roadmender, thermal patching, spray injection)
- ✓ Regular safety inspections alongside customer reporting
Expect a structured Section 58 defence citing inspections and risk-based reactive repairs. Generic claims will struggle.
What Works In Yours
- ✗ RED wider best practice — lowest tier on DfT efficiency and innovation measures
- ✗ Only 8.58% of B/C roads in good condition; 91%+ amber or red
- ✗ 12.86% of U-roads in RED — roughly 130km of residential routes
- ✗ 68,678 estimated pothole repairs in five years — defects outpace prevention
- ✗ Just 15–22% preventative spend; council admits increase only from 2026
- ✗ Published admission that funding limitations may restrict maintenance spending
The Winning Strategy Here Is Specificity
Against a council with annual surveys and a documented inspection framework, your claim lives or dies on the specific defect:
- • Prior online reports of the same pothole — proof of actual notice on the council's most-reported defect type
- • Photos showing the defect's size, depth and visible age (weathered edges, previous patching)
- • Your road's survey classification — RED or amber at the last annual camera survey
- • The gap between claimed innovation (Roadmender, thermal patching) and the DfT's RED best practice rating
Mac builds exactly this case: he searches for prior reports, assesses your photo evidence, and cites North Northamptonshire's own transparency data where it helps you.
Hit a Pothole in North Northamptonshire?
A RED best-practice flag and 68,678 repairs in five years demand a precise claim. £35 for a professional claim pack.
DIY Claim
- • Submit photos and invoices
- • Use generic template letter
- • No RED best practice argument
- • No prior-report search
- • No survey classification request
Professional Claim Pack
- ✅ RED best practice scorecard cited
- ✅ B/C road decline documented (8.58% green)
- ✅ 68,678 repairs in five years referenced
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to North Northamptonshire
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the RED best practice rating mean for my pothole claim?
The DfT wider best practice scorecard measures whether a council adopts recognised efficiency and innovation practices — including technologies to fix and prevent potholes more efficiently. North Northamptonshire is RED despite listing Roadmender, thermal patching and spray injection in its own report. That gap between claimed innovation and official assessment is directly relevant to Section 58: you can ask whether the council's actual maintenance system — not its brochure — was reasonable for the defect that damaged your vehicle.
North Northamptonshire spends above its DfT allocation — can I still claim?
Yes. The Spend scorecard is AMBER, not a bar to compensation. Section 58 turns on whether the specific defect was reasonably inspected and repaired. Capital spend exceeded DfT allocation in 2024/25 (£14.44m vs £9.47m) yet only 22% went on preventative carriageway work and 30% on reactive repairs including pothole filling. High aggregate spend does not prove your pothole was caught in time.
What if my pothole was on an unclassified road?
U-roads make up 1,015km — 55% of the North Northamptonshire network. At the latest survey, 12.86% of U-roads were in RED condition (roughly 130km of residential and village routes). The council surveys annually using high-resolution camera vehicles, so ask when your road was last surveyed and what action followed a RED classification.
Only 8.58% of B/C roads are in good condition — how does that help?
It shows systematic deterioration, not an isolated defect. Good-condition B/C roads have fallen from 17.17% in 2020 to 8.58% in 2024 while RED B/C roads rose from 6.94% to 10.42%. When over 91% of the B/C network is amber or red, the council cannot easily argue it maintains a stable, well-managed local road system under Section 58.
The council says preventative maintenance will increase from 2026 — does that weaken my claim?
No — it is a forward-looking admission the current balance is insufficient. The council's own report states "The preventative approach to carriageway maintenance will drive a significant increase in preventative maintenance activities from 2026." For a defect before that shift, the published 15–22% preventative share and 29–32% reactive share are the relevant figures.
Does North Northamptonshire's annual camera survey block my Section 58 argument?
Not necessarily. Annual PAS2161-aligned surveys show the council can know network condition — which raises the question of what it did with that knowledge. If your road was classified RED or amber at the last survey, prior reports exist, or reactive repairs hit 14,350 in 2024/25 alone, the issue is response time and repair quality on your specific defect, not whether surveys happen at all.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | North Northamptonshire 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 AMBER; best practice RED.
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.