Source
Department for Transport — Local road maintenance ratings 2025 to 2026
amberOverall|green Conditiongreen Spendred Best Practice
Oldham: GREEN Roads, RED Processes
Oldham Council's SCANNER surveys earn GREEN for road condition. Its capital spend matches the DfT allocation for a GREEN spend scorecard. Yet the overall rating is AMBER — because the DfT rates wider best practice RED. The roads measure well; the maintenance processes do not.
RED
Wider best practice scorecard
Oldham projects 46% reactive maintenance in 2025/26, plans 3km of resurfacing on an 846km network, and limits waste-free pothole technology to "targeted locations" — while condition and spend both score GREEN.
The RED Best Practice Scorecard
Why GREEN condition and spend still produce an AMBER council — the DfT process test Oldham fails
"Due to its expense, these waste-free products are only used in targeted locations, however they have had a positive impact on pothole reduction as they arrest further deterioration of the surface and prevent new potholes from forming adjacent to the repairs."
— Oldham Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
"We are also looking to be a Lane Rental authority where we can charge a daily rate for works on our busiest roads during the busiest times. This should incentivise organisations that undertake roadworks by making them think about how they intend to carry out their works and look for innovative ways to avoid the charge by using no dig techniques, collaborating with other roadworks or working outside of the peak periods."
— Oldham Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
What RED Means
The DfT wider best practice scorecard assesses preventative versus reactive spend, planned resurfacing of RED-rated roads, planned preventative treatment of green and amber roads, and evidence of innovation, disruption management, decarbonisation and footway maintenance plans. A RED rating means Oldham is among the lowest performers nationally on those process measures — despite GREEN condition data from its own SCANNER surveys.
For Section 58, that matters: the council cannot lean on official best-practice recognition while arguing its maintenance system was reasonable. The gap between what the roads measure and how the council maintains them is yours to explore.
The Numbers Behind RED
- • 2025/26 planned spend split: 54% preventative, 46% reactive
- • 2025/26 planned works: 3km resurfacing + 4.1km preventative treatment on 846km of roads
- • 2024/25 actual resurfacing: 8.45km carriageway — down from 47.12km in 2021/22
- • Waste-free pothole repair: limited to "targeted locations" due to cost
- • Lane Rental scheme: aspiration ("looking to be"), not yet in place
Section 58 and Section 41 Highways Act
Under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, Oldham 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 Oldham runs a modern, efficient maintenance regime. Pair it with U-road condition data, falling pothole repair volumes, and your own evidence of prior reports.
The 846km Network
Oldham's own network breakdown — and where your pothole likely sits
"Oldham Council manages and maintains adopted highway assets falling within its 846km network."
— Oldham Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
| Asset | Length (km) | Share of carriageway |
|---|---|---|
| A roads | 112 | 13% |
| B and C roads | 66 | 8% |
| Unclassified roads | 668 | 79% |
| Footways | 1,099 | — |
| Public Rights of Way | 450 | — |
| Cycleways | 56 | — |
Not All Oldham Roads
The council does not maintain motorways or A663 Broadway in Chadderton (Manchester boundary to A627(M)) — a trunk road managed by National Highways. Street lights and illuminated signs are managed by Community Lighting Partnership under a PFI contract.
Where Claims Happen
Nearly four-fifths of Oldham's carriageway is unclassified — estate roads, residential streets and local routes. These are where pothole damage claims concentrate, even though A-roads carry the best condition scores in the SCANNER data.
What The Condition Data Shows
Five years of SCANNER survey data from Oldham's own transparency report — GREEN overall, but U-road amber rising
"Road condition assessments on the local classified road network in England are currently made predominantly using surface condition assessment for the national network of roads (SCANNER) laser-based technology."
— Oldham Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
A-roads (112km — 13% of network): strong green coverage
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 6% | 10% | 84% |
| 2021 | 2% | 13% | 85% |
| 2022 | 1% | 16% | 83% |
| 2023 | 3% | 26% | 71% |
| 2024 | 1% | 28% | 71% |
A-road RED condition is just 1% at the latest survey — but amber has risen from 10% to 28% since 2020. Main roads perform well; they are also just one-eighth of the network.
B and C roads (66km — 8% of network): RED ticked up in 2024
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 13% | 18% | 69% |
| 2021 | 4% | 27% | 69% |
| 2022 | 4% | 13% | 83% |
| 2023 | 2% | 17% | 81% |
| 2024 | 6% | 22% | 72% |
B/C RED condition tripled from 2% to 6% between 2023 and 2024 — on a small but strategically important 66km slice of the borough's classified network.
Unclassified roads (668km — 79% of network): green slipping, amber rising
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 14% | 35% | 51% |
| 2021 | 11% | 34% | 55% |
| 2022 | 11% | 31% | 58% |
| 2023 | 11% | 28% | 61% |
| 2024 | 9% | 38% | 53% |
U-road green coverage fell from 61% to 53% in a single year while amber rose from 28% to 38%. At 9% RED, roughly 60km of residential and local roads are classified for resurfacing — yet Oldham resurfaced just 8.45km of carriageway across the entire borough in 2024/25.
GREEN Spend — Matching The Allocation Exactly
£3.067m
DfT capital allocation 2025/26
£3.067m
Projected capital spend 2025/26
£5.66m
Total projected spend (capital + revenue)
Oldham matches its DfT capital allocation pound for pound — unlike authorities that borrow or top up heavily. Total maintenance spend in 2024/25 was £5.575m (£3.067m capital plus £2.508m revenue). GREEN spend reflects that alignment, not whether your specific pothole was caught in time.
Five Years of Spending
Capital, revenue, and the shift from Highways Investment Programme borrowing to static DfT-matched budgets
| Year | DfT allocation | Capital spend | Revenue spend | Preventative % | Reactive % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | £4.714m | £9.414m* | £1.528m† | 86 | 14 |
| 2021/22 | £4.714m | £8.272m* | £1.983m† | 81 | 19 |
| 2022/23 | £3.067m | £3.067m | £2.459m | 56 | 44 |
| 2023/24 | £3.067m | £3.067m | £2.739m | 53 | 47 |
| 2024/25 | £3.067m | £3.067m | £2.508m | 55 | 45 |
| 2025/26 | £3.067m | £3.067m | £2.593m‡ | 54 | 46 |
* Figures for 2020/21 & 2021/22 include additional funding via prudential borrowing which formed Oldham's Highways Investment Programme (HIP)
† Reduced service due to Covid
‡ Forecast based on month 3 figures
The Preventative Cliff
During the HIP borrowing years, Oldham classified 81–86% of spend as preventative. Since 2022/23, that share has sat at 53–56% — with reactive maintenance at 44–47%. The DfT best practice metric rewards high preventative shares; Oldham's current split is a key driver of its RED scorecard.
10,057 Pothole Work Orders in Five Years
Reactive repair volumes falling — but the network still produces defects
| Year | Pothole work orders completed |
|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 3,350 |
| 2021/22 | 2,861 |
| 2022/23 | 1,430 |
| 2023/24 | 1,443 |
| 2024/25 | 973 |
| Five-year total | 10,057 |
"Please note that the numbers provided represent the number of completed work orders raised for pothole repairs to road surfaces and one order may repair multiple defects."
— Oldham Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
2025/26 Forecast: 1,000 Repairs
Oldham plans an estimated 1,000 pothole repairs in 2025/26 — nearly double the 973 work orders completed in 2024/25. The council notes actual repairs will be based on need.
Resurfacing vs Reactive Patch Cycle
8.45km
Carriageway resurfaced 2024/25
47.12km
Carriageway resurfaced 2021/22 (HIP year)
3km
Planned resurfacing 2025/26
Oldham resurfaced 47.12km during its Highways Investment Programme — then 15.0km, 12.8km, 8.45km and plans just 3km for 2025/26. When structural maintenance slows while U-road amber rises to 38%, potholes form on roads the council already knows need attention. That is the reactive cycle Section 58 asks you to pin to a specific defect.
Asset Management — Paper vs Practice
What Oldham says about its processes — and where the DfT found them wanting
"Oldham Council is committed to a highway asset management approach for the long-term maintenance if its highway infrastructure assets. Methodologies follow national guidance and best practice, including the recommendations set out in Well Managed Highway Infrastructure, the code of practice for the management of highway assets."
— Oldham Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
"Oldham Council employs a preventative maintenance approach to its asset maintenance strategy to apply treatments to its assets at key stages along its lifecycle. This maximises the lifespan of our assets, reducing the need for otherwise more carbon-intensive replacements further down the line."
— Oldham Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
What The Report Claims
- • Highway Asset Management Policy, Framework and Strategy published online
- • Greater Manchester collaboration via GMRAPS, Highways Asset Manager's Group, shared Pontis for structures
- • Waste-free pothole repair trialled and rolled out to targeted locations
- • Fleet transitioning to cleaner vehicles; SUDS incorporated in schemes
- • Manchester Street viaduct refurbishment — final phase of Oldham Way structure works
What The DfT Found
- • RED wider best practice — lowest tier on efficiency and innovation measures
- • 54% preventative / 46% reactive projected split in 2025/26
- • 3km resurfacing + 4.1km preventative treatment planned on 846km network
- • Innovation limited: waste-free repair "only used in targeted locations" due to expense
- • Lane Rental: council is "looking to be" an authority — not yet implemented
Section 58 Questions For Oldham
Oldham publishes policies and participates in Greater Manchester frameworks. Under Section 58, ask whether that system worked for your road:
- • Was your U-road in the 9% RED or 38% amber category at the last SCANNER survey?
- • If so, why was it not on the 3km resurfacing or 4.1km preventative treatment list for 2025/26?
- • Did prior reports to the council pre-date the repair — proving actual notice?
- • Does the pothole show signs of age (weathered edges, previous patching) inconsistent with inspection intervals?
- • How does a RED best practice scorecard sit alongside the council's asset management claims?
GREEN condition data helps the council. RED best practice data helps you — if you connect it to your specific defect with photos and prior reports.
Claiming Against a Split-Rated Council
Honest assessment: Oldham is not Derbyshire — here's how the mixed scorecards change your approach
What Works In The Council's Favour
- ✓ GREEN condition scorecard — SCANNER data shows strong green coverage on A-roads (71%) and manageable RED on U-roads (9%)
- ✓ GREEN spend scorecard — capital matches £3.067m DfT allocation exactly
- ✓ Published asset management policy aligned to Well Managed Highway Infrastructure
- ✓ Greater Manchester coordination via GMRAPS and shared regional frameworks
- ✓ U-road RED share fell from 14% (2020) to 9% (2024)
Expect a documented Section 58 defence citing SCANNER surveys and asset management policies. Generic claims will struggle.
What Works In Yours
- ✗ RED wider best practice — DfT found processes lacking despite GREEN condition data
- ✗ 46% reactive maintenance projected in 2025/26 — nearly half the budget on patch-and-fill
- ✗ U-road green fell from 61% to 53% in one year; amber rose to 38%
- ✗ Resurfacing collapsed from 47.12km (2021/22) to 8.45km (2024/25) after HIP borrowing ended
- ✗ Waste-free repair technology limited to "targeted locations" — not borough-wide
- ✗ 79% of the network is U-roads — where condition is weakest and claims concentrate
The Winning Strategy Here Is Specificity
Against a council with GREEN condition and spend scorecards, 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 38% amber and falling green coverage
- • The gap between SCANNER RED/amber classification and planned 3km resurfacing list
- • The RED best practice scorecard as context for whether the council's stated system matches DfT assessment
Mac builds exactly this case: he searches for prior reports, assesses your photo evidence, and cites Oldham's own transparency data where it helps you.
Hit a Pothole in Oldham?
GREEN scorecards 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 U-road condition decline cited
- • No prior-report search
Professional Claim Pack
- ✅ RED best practice scorecard cited
- ✅ U-road amber rise and green fall documented
- ✅ 10,057 pothole work orders in five years referenced
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to Oldham
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Oldham is GREEN on condition and spend — can I still claim for pothole damage?
Yes. GREEN scorecards reflect aggregate network condition and capital spend matching the DfT allocation — not a guarantee that your specific defect was reasonably inspected and repaired. Oldham is AMBER overall because the DfT rates its wider best practice RED. Section 58 turns on the particular pothole, prior reports, and whether the council's maintenance system — not its headline colours — was reasonable for that location.
What does the RED best practice rating mean for my pothole claim?
The DfT wider best practice scorecard measures preventative spend share, planned resurfacing against RED-rated roads, innovation adoption, and evidence of disruption, decarbonisation and footway plans. Oldham projects 54% preventative and 46% reactive maintenance in 2025/26, plans just 3km of resurfacing and 4.1km of preventative treatment on an 846km network, and admits waste-free repair technology is "only used in targeted locations" due to expense. That gap between GREEN condition data and RED process assessment is directly relevant to Section 58.
What if my pothole was on a residential or unclassified road?
Unclassified roads make up 668km — 79% of Oldham's 846km carriageway network. At the latest SCANNER survey, 9% of U-roads were in RED condition, 38% in amber and 53% in green — with green coverage falling from 61% in 2023 to 53% in 2024. Most pothole claims in Oldham originate on these local streets, not the 112km of A-roads where condition scores are strongest.
Pothole repairs fell to 973 work orders in 2024/25 — does that mean the roads are fixed?
No. Oldham completed 973 pothole repair work orders in 2024/25 — down from 1,443 the year before and 3,350 in 2020/21. The council itself notes that one work order may repair multiple defects, so the true pothole count is higher. It also plans an estimated 1,000 pothole repairs in 2025/26. Fewer work orders does not mean fewer potholes — it reflects repair activity, not network health.
Does Oldham's asset management strategy block my Section 58 argument?
Not necessarily — but it sets the terms of the fight. Oldham publishes a Highway Asset Management Policy and claims methodologies follow Well Managed Highway Infrastructure guidance. That gives the council a documented system to point to. Your claim succeeds by showing that system failed for your specific defect: prior reports ignored, a pothole visible longer than inspection intervals allow, or a RED-classified U-road left untreated despite SCANNER data.
Why is Oldham AMBER overall when two scorecards are GREEN?
The DfT combines condition, spend and best practice into a single overall score with a higher bar for amber than any individual scorecard. Oldham's GREEN condition reflects SCANNER survey results across A, B/C and U-roads. Its GREEN spend reflects capital matching the £3.067m DfT allocation exactly. But RED best practice — driven by low planned preventative works relative to network size and a 46% reactive spend share — pulls the combined rating down to AMBER.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | Oldham Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 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 GREEN; 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.