Source
Department for Transport — Local road maintenance ratings 2025 to 2026
amberOverall|amber Conditiongreen Spendamber Best Practice
Salford: 35% of Residential Roads in RED Condition
Salford City Council outspends its DfT capital allocation every year and earns a GREEN spend scorecard. Yet the overall rating is AMBER — because 35% of unclassified roads are now in RED condition, up from 16% in 2020, A-road deterioration has more than tripled, and the council filled 68,500 potholes in five years on a network where three-quarters of carriageway is residential.
35%
U-roads in RED condition (2024/25)
Up from 16% in 2020/21 — roughly 196km of Salford's 561km unclassified network, surveyed by visual inspection on a three-year cycle rather than automated SCANNER.
A 742km Network, Mostly Residential
Network size from Salford City Council's Highway Maintenance Report 2025 to 2026
| Road class | Length (km) | Share of network |
|---|---|---|
| A roads | 120 | 16.2% |
| B and C roads | 61 | 8.2% |
| U roads (unclassified) | 561 | 75.6% |
| Total carriageway | 742 | 100% |
Also in the network
- • 1,109km of footways (surveyed on a five-year cycle)
- • 128km of other public rights of way
- • Gross replacement cost estimated at over £1.1 billion
Why the split matters
Three-quarters of Salford's carriageway is unclassified — estate roads, residential streets and local routes. These are the roads most drivers hit potholes on, and they are assessed by a different, less frequent survey method than the classified network.
What The Condition Data Shows
Five years of survey data from Salford's own transparency report — classified roads slipping, residential roads in crisis
A-roads (120km — 16% of network): deteriorating
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 2% | 18% | 80% |
| 2021/22 | 5% | 19% | 76% |
| 2022/23 | 6% | 20% | 74% |
| 2023/24 | 6% | 22% | 72% |
| 2024/25 | 7% | 24% | 69% |
RED A-roads more than tripled from 2% to 7% since 2020/21, and good-condition A-roads fell from 80% to 69%. These are SCANNER-surveyed every two years — the council should have current data on every major route.
B and C roads (61km — 8% of network): declining
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 3% | 24% | 73% |
| 2021/22 | 3% | 24% | 73% |
| 2022/23 | 5% | 25% | 70% |
| 2023/24 | 6% | 26% | 68% |
| 2024/25 | 6% | 29% | 66% |
RED B/C roads doubled from 3% to 6%, and amber rose from 24% to 29%. Over a third of the B/C network now needs — or will soon need — maintenance.
And This Is The Well-Funded Version
£5.9m
DfT capital allocation 2025/26
£15.7m
Projected capital spend 2025/26
81%
Estimated preventative share
Salford spends nearly three times its DfT allocation — and residential road condition has more than doubled in RED. The problem isn't the chequebook. The network is deteriorating faster than even a GREEN-rated spend programme can repair it.
The 561km Residential Crisis
76% of Salford's carriageway is unclassified — and RED condition has more than doubled
| Year | U-roads in RED condition |
|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 16% |
| 2021/22 | 22% |
| 2022/23 | 21% |
| 2023/24 | 35% |
| 2024/25 | 35% |
The Three-Year CVI Cycle
Salford's report states that for unclassified roads, trained inspectors carry out Coarse Visual Inspections and “survey one-third of these roads each year, covering the full network every three years.” That is a longer gap than the two-year SCANNER cycle on classified roads.
At 35% RED, roughly 196km of residential roads should be considered for repair as a priority — yet the council publishes only RED percentages for U-roads, not full amber/green splits.
The 2023/24 Step Change
RED U-roads jumped from 21% in 2022/23 to 35% in 2023/24 and held at 35% in 2024/25. That is not a blip — it is a structural shift in the condition of three-quarters of Salford's network.
Salford plans to resurface only 15 to 20 kilometres of carriageway in 2025/26 — roughly 2% of the total network — while expecting to fill approximately 18,000 potholes reactively.
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 Salford's unclassified network, ask:
- • When was your road last condition-surveyed — and was it within the three-year CVI cycle?
- • If 35% of U-roads are RED, what was done about yours before you hit the pothole?
- • How does a visual inspection every three years catch defects that form between surveys?
- • Does the council's own admission of reduced planned maintenance explain the defect on your road?
A council that knows more than a third of its residential network is in RED condition cannot claim ignorance of the risk on any given U-road.
68,500 Potholes in Five Years
Reactive repair volumes nearly doubled as the council admits surfaces deteriorated
| Year | Potholes filled (estimated) |
|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 9,500 |
| 2021/22 | 11,200 |
| 2022/23 | 11,800 |
| 2023/24 | 17,800 |
| 2024/25 | 18,200 |
| Five-year total | 68,500 |
~50 Potholes a Day in 2024/25
Salford filled 18,200 potholes in 2024/25 — about 50 every day — and expects approximately 18,000 in 2025/26. The council states these figures are “estimated based on orders that have been raised following routine highway inspections.” A network producing defects at that rate is one where potholes routinely form between inspections.
The Funding Admission
The council links rising pothole numbers directly to reduced capital funding for resurfacing. Reactive repairs nearly doubled from 9,500 to 18,200 in five years — while RED U-roads more than doubled over the same period. The two trends move together.
“Over the past five or six years, there has been less capital funding available for road improvements such as resurfacing and overlaying. This means we haven't been able to carry out as much planned maintenance to keep the roads in the best condition. As a result, road surfaces have begun to deteriorate, leading to more potholes and a greater need for short term, reactive repairs.”
— Salford City Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Five Years of Highway Spending
Capital spend consistently outstrips the DfT allocation — yet condition keeps slipping
| Year | DfT allocation | Capital spend | Revenue spend | Preventative | Reactive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | £4.38m | £8.19m | £2.59m | 79% | 21% |
| 2021/22 | £4.24m | £7.19m | £2.71m | 76% | 24% |
| 2022/23 | £4.94m | £8.55m | £2.81m | 79% | 21% |
| 2023/24 | £4.38m | £13.85m | £4.11m | 77% | 23% |
| 2024/25 | £5.34m | £14.76m | £3.77m | 81% | 19% |
| 2025/26 (proj.) | £5.94m | £15.68m | £4.00m | 81% | 19% |
“In the past, the council used a 'worst-first' method, fixing the most damaged roads first. While this was easy to understand, it led to a growing backlog of repairs.”
— Salford City Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
“Based on current trends, condition assessments, and inspection data, Salford City Council expects to fill approximately 18,000 potholes across our road network during the 2025–2026 financial year.”
— Salford City Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
How Salford Checks Its Roads
Different survey methods for different road classes — and a national standard change coming
SCANNER (A, B and C roads)
Salford uses a laser-based SCANNER system on major roads. The report states these roads are “surveyed every two years, this follows national guidelines and ensures we have up-to-date information on our busiest roads.”
With A-road RED condition more than tripling since 2020/21, the question for main-road claims is whether the two-year cycle caught deterioration before your incident.
CVI (unclassified roads)
Trained inspectors carry out Coarse Visual Inspections on U-roads, surveying one-third each year. This is a lower-tech, less frequent assessment than SCANNER — on the road class where 35% are now in RED condition.
Footways are surveyed on a five-year cycle via Footway Network Surveys — a separate blind spot for pavement claims.
PAS 2161 From 2026/27
Salford notes that from 2026/27, BSI PAS 2161 will expand the rating system from three categories to five. The council states this “will give both local authorities and the government a clearer, more consistent understanding of road conditions nationwide.” Until then, the three-tier RED/amber/green data in this report is what governs your claim.
Section 41 and the Reasonable Inspection Test
Under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, Salford must maintain highways reasonably safe for ordinary traffic. Section 58 provides a defence if the council can prove it took such care as was reasonable. For Salford, that means:
- • Routine safety inspections ordering repairs where needed
- • Condition surveys on a defined cycle (two years for classified, three for U-roads)
- • A documented asset management plan guiding prioritisation
A GREEN spend scorecard and an asset management plan support the council's defence. But 35% RED U-roads, a admitted repair backlog, and 68,500 potholes in five years are evidence the system is not keeping pace with deterioration on the ground.
Claiming Against a Well-Funded AMBER Council
Honest assessment: Salford invests heavily — here's how that changes your approach
What Works In The Council's Favour
- ✓ GREEN spend scorecard — invests nearly three times its DfT allocation
- ✓ ~81% of spend classed as preventative in 2024/25 and 2025/26
- ✓ Documented Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Plan
- ✓ SCANNER surveys on classified roads every two years
- ✓ Part of Greater Manchester Road Activity Permit Scheme (GMRAPS)
Expect a documented Section 58 defence on classified roads. Generic claims will struggle.
What Works In Yours
- ✗ AMBER condition — 35% of U-roads in RED, up from 16%
- ✗ AMBER best practice — not the top DfT process tier
- ✗ 76% of network on three-year CVI cycle, not SCANNER
- ✗ 68,500 potholes filled in five years — defects form faster than inspections catch them
- ✗ Council admits reduced resurfacing caused deterioration and more reactive repairs
- ✗ Admitted “worst-first” approach led to a growing backlog of repairs
The Winning Strategy Here Is Specificity
Against a council with GREEN spend and a documented asset management plan, 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 three-year CVI gap and 35% RED figure are your strongest structural arguments
- • Whether the council's own funding admission explains why your road was left to deteriorate
Mac builds exactly this case: he searches for prior reports, assesses your photo evidence, and cites Salford's own transparency data where it helps you.
Hit a Pothole in Salford?
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 U-road CVI-cycle argument
- • No prior-report search
- • No funding-admission analysis
Professional Claim Pack
- ✅ 35% RED U-roads documented
- ✅ Three-year CVI survey gap argued
- ✅ 68,500 repairs in five years cited
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to Salford
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Salford spends nearly three times its DfT allocation — 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. Salford's own data shows 35% of unclassified roads in RED condition, up from 16% in 2020, and A-road RED condition more than tripled over the same period.
What if my pothole was on a residential or unclassified road?
U-roads make up 561km — 76% of Salford's 742km carriageway network. At the latest survey, 35% were in RED condition, up from 16% in 2020. The council surveys one-third of unclassified roads each year by Coarse Visual Inspection, covering the full network every three years — not the automated SCANNER system used on A, B and C roads.
Does Salford admitting less funding caused more potholes help my claim?
Yes. Salford states that reduced capital funding meant “we haven't been able to carry out as much planned maintenance,” leading to deteriorating surfaces and “more potholes and a greater need for short term, reactive repairs.” That is the council's own explanation for why reactive repair volumes nearly doubled in five years — and why condition on residential roads worsened even as spend increased.
Pothole repairs rose to 18,200 in 2024/25 — does that mean the roads are fixed?
No. Salford expects to fill approximately 18,000 potholes in 2025/26 as well. The council filled 68,500 potholes over five years while RED U-roads more than doubled from 16% to 35%. Reactive repairs are a symptom of deterioration, not proof the underlying network is in good condition.
Why is Salford AMBER on best practice as well as condition?
Unlike councils that earn GREEN across spend and best practice, Salford is AMBER on both condition and best practice while GREEN on spend. That means the DfT sees investment without fully matching process standards. Salford will still argue a structured Section 58 defence through its Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Plan, but with more identifiable gaps than a double-GREEN authority.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | Salford City Council Highway Maintenance Report 2025 to 2026. 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.