Southampton: 70% of roads need capital funding now
Southampton City Council's own transparency report states around 70% of the city's roads — about 235 miles — need capital funding for preventative, rehabilitative or structural maintenance. Only 24% were in good condition in 2024, down 1.4% on the previous year, while the DfT rates overall performance AMBER, spend GREEN, and best practice AMBER. The council filled 4,247 potholes and footway defects in 2024/25 on a network where it admits roads are deteriorating each year.
What the condition data shows
Network-wide assessment and five-year survey data from Southampton City Council's own transparency report — SCANNER on classified roads through 2023, GAIST on all classes since 2022
Whole-network condition (2024): slipping year on year
Three-quarters of Southampton's carriageway network is not in good condition. The council categorises amber roads as having “generally deteriorated to requiring maintenance soon” and red roads as having “deteriorated to the point they need repair.”
A-roads (58.2km — 9.8% of network): GAIST survey trend
| Year | Cat 1 (none) | Cat 2 (minor) | Cat 3 (moderate) | Cat 4 (mod–severe) | Cat 5 (severe) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 34.48% | 7.26% | 49.95% | 3.87% | 4.40% |
| 2023 | 29.72% | 6.73% | 54.26% | 4.03% | 5.25% |
| 2024 | 27.61% | 8.08% | 55.94% | 5.57% | 2.80% |
Category 1 (no deterioration) fell from 34.48% to 27.61% in two years. Category 3 moderate deterioration now covers 55.94% of A-road surface area. All A-roads are surveyed annually. Legacy SCANNER data (2020–2023) showed 67–71% green, 25–29% amber and 4–5% red — a different methodology, not directly comparable to GAIST categories.
B and C roads (57.9km): deteriorating under GAIST
| Year | Cat 1 | Cat 3 | Cat 4 | Cat 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 31.31% | 52.26% | 4.87% | 7.01% |
| 2023 | 26.75% | 53.67% | 5.46% | 8.72% |
| 2024 | 25.18% | 54.71% | 7.77% | 5.65% |
Category 4 (moderate to severe) nearly doubled from 4.87% to 7.77% since 2022. Combined Cat 4 and Cat 5 deterioration rose from 11.88% to 13.42%. Legacy SCANNER showed B/C roads broadly stable at 78–80% green and 2–3% red through 2023 — the GAIST transition reveals a steeper picture.
GREEN spend — but 0% preventative in 2024/25
Southampton spent well over its DfT allocation in 2024/25 — earning a GREEN Spend scorecard — yet recorded zero estimated preventative maintenance and 52% reactive. Total highways maintenance was around £7.9m (capital plus revenue). The problem is not always the headline spend figure — it is what the money bought on a deteriorating network.
The 476km residential network
80% of Southampton's carriageways are unclassified — now surveyed annually via GAIST since 2022
| Year | U-roads in RED (CVI survey) | Cat 4 + 5 (GAIST, road area %) |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 14% | Pre-GAIST |
| 2021 | 8% | Pre-GAIST |
| 2022 | 15% | 20.04% |
| 2023 | 11% | 22.10% |
| 2024 | GAIST only | 22.25% |
GAIST detail — U-roads 2024
Category 1 (no deterioration) fell from 25.68% in 2022 to 16.40% in 2024 — a loss of roughly 44km of surface area in the best condition band. Category 3 moderate deterioration covers nearly half of all U-road surface area.
Survey alignment since 2022
Since 2022 the unclassified network has been surveyed at the same time as A and B/C roads using 360° vehicle-mounted camera imagery. The council states this “alignment of road condition data has allowed the different road classifications to be assessed in the same way” — but the unified picture shows deterioration accelerating, not stabilising.
Prior CVI (Course Visual Inspection) RED percentages of 8–15% used a different method and cannot be directly compared to GAIST categories.
Why this matters for Section 58
To rely on the Section 58 defence, Southampton must show it had a reasonable system for knowing road condition. On a network where 70% needs capital funding, ask:
- • Was your street in the 10% red, 66% amber, or declining 24% green band when you were damaged?
- • If Cat 4 deterioration on U-roads rose from 11.22% to 16.16%, what was done about yours?
- • Did the council's emergency/statutory minimum service strategy leave your road for reactive patching only?
- • Can the council prove it acted on GAIST data showing Category 3 covering half of U-road surface area?
A council that publishes data showing 235 miles need capital funding cannot easily argue it had no reason to expect defects on untreated amber roads.
23,383 defects filled in five years
Pothole and footway repair totals from Southampton's own transparency report — reactive work on a deteriorating network
| Year | Roads | Footways | Find and Fix | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 2,273 | 915 | 319 | 3,507 |
| 2021/22 | 2,444 | 1,648 | 2,045 | 6,137 |
| 2022/23 | 2,386 | 1,832 | 1,526 | 5,744 |
| 2023/24 | 2,856 | 755 | 137 | 3,748 |
| 2024/25 | 2,781 | 1,466 | 0 | 4,247 |
| Five-year total | 12,740 | 6,616 | 4,027 | 23,383 |
~13 repairs a day, every day
Averaged over five years, Southampton fills around 13 road and footway defects per day across its 591.7km network. The council predicts around 4,400 fills in 2025/26 (3,000 roads, 1,400 footways). A network producing defects at this rate is one where potholes routinely form between inspections — exactly the scenario where prior reports and photographic evidence decide claims.
Reactive spend dominance
Estimated reactive maintenance share was 46–55% across 2020/21 to 2024/25, hitting 52% in the latest year when preventative spend was recorded at 0%. The council states reactive maintenance is “revenue funded and categorised by agreed defect and risk parameters, and response times” — your claim may turn on whether those parameters were met for your specific defect.
Highways maintenance spending (five years)
| Year | DfT allocation | Capital spend | Revenue spend | Preventative | Reactive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (proj.) | £3.24m | £4.24m | £3.83m | 32.75% | 51% |
| 2024/25 | £2.40m | £4.20m | £3.72m | 0% | 52% |
| 2023/24 | £2.78m | £12.32m | £3.58m | 0% | 46% |
| 2022/23 | £2.13m | £14.98m | £3.17m | 0% | 55% |
| 2021/22 | £2.13m | £10.61m | £2.95m | 13.2% | 54% |
Second year of emergency minimum service
The council's own explanation for limited resurfacing — in its own words
“Overall, the roads in Southampton are deteriorating each year. The length of roads in Grade 3 (Moderate deterioration) is increasing and the amount of road surface with no deterioration (i.e. Grade 1), decreasing.”
— Southampton City Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
“In 2024/25 uncertainty over the capital settlement due to the pressures on the Council's budgets and lower levels of funding for highway infrastructure maintenance meant an emergency / statutory minimum service Road Repairs Strategy was used to identify maintenance priorities. This approach has been followed again when preparing the 2025/26 Annual Plan.”
— Southampton City Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
“The major reductions in the Council's 2024/25 funding and an anticipated 'Low' funding level of SCC Highways Capital funding in 2025/26 meant preparing an Annual Plan against an 'emergency/statutory minimum service' budget for a second year. This funding level doesn't support the programming of larger road (or footway) resurfacing schemes during 2025/26.”
— Southampton City Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
What the 2025/26 plan actually delivers
- • Resurface and repair 3.5 miles of roads; surface treat almost 4 miles
- • Treat and repair 1.4 miles of footway surfaces
- • Predicted 4,400 pothole fills (3,000 roads, 1,400 footways)
- • Planned preventative-to-reactive ratio of around 0.7:1
- • Itchen Bridge: drainage renewal, 1 mile footway reconstruction, ½ mile resurfacing
On a 591.7km (368-mile) network, 3.5 miles of resurfacing treats under 1% of carriageway in a year — while 235 miles need capital funding.
Highways Partnership context
Maintenance is delivered through the Southampton Highways Partnership with Balfour Beatty Living Places, alongside in-house teams. The council and its supplier are corporate members of the Local Council Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG) — contributing to its AMBER best-practice scorecard despite documented emergency budgeting.
The council also maintains 1,218.8km of footways, 89.3km of cycleways, 117 signal-controlled junctions and 42 bridges — a dense urban network under sustained traffic pressure from the port, hospital, schools and daily peak flows of 16,000 vehicles into the city centre.
Claiming against an AMBER council with GREEN spend
Honest assessment: Southampton invests above its DfT allocation — here is how that changes your approach
What works in the council's favour
- ✓ GREEN spend scorecard — capital spend exceeded DfT allocation in 2024/25 (£4.20m vs £2.40m)
- ✓ All road classes surveyed annually since GAIST alignment in 2022
- ✓ Documented asset management framework linked to Connected Southampton 2040
- ✓ LCRIG membership and risk-based inspection regime via Highways Partnership
- ✓ Legacy SCANNER B/C data showed 78–80% green through 2023
Expect a documented Section 58 defence on well-maintained classified roads. Generic claims will struggle.
What works in yours
- ✗ AMBER condition — only 24% green, 66% amber, 10% red in 2024
- ✗ Council admits roads are deteriorating each year
- ✗ 0% preventative maintenance recorded in 2024/25
- ✗ Emergency/statutory minimum service budget for two consecutive years
- ✗ 23,383 pothole and footway fills in five years on a failing network
- ✗ GAIST shows U-road Cat 1 falling from 25.68% to 16.40% since 2022
The winning strategy here is specificity
Against a council with GREEN spend but deteriorating GAIST condition data, your claim lives or dies on the specific defect:
- • Prior reports of the same pothole (FixMyStreet, council online reporting) — proof of actual notice
- • Photos showing the defect's size, depth and visible age (weathered edges, previous patching)
- • The road's class and GAIST category band — was it in the 66% amber or 10% red network?
- • Whether the council's emergency strategy left your road for reactive patching only
- • Boundary check — city road (Southampton), county road (Hampshire) or trunk road (National Highways)
Mac builds exactly this case: he searches for prior reports, assesses your photo evidence, and cites Southampton's own transparency data where it helps you.
Report the pothole to Southampton first
Reporting through the Southampton Highways Partnership creates a dated council record — useful evidence if the defect was known before your incident, or if the council failed to repair it within its agreed risk-based response times. The transparency report states reactive repairs are “categorised by agreed defect and risk parameters, and response times.” Keep your reference number and any confirmation emails.
Report a highway issue to Southampton City CouncilIf the pothole is on the M27, M3 or another trunk road, report it to National Highways instead. Roads outside the city boundary are maintained by Hampshire County Council.
Hit a pothole in Southampton?
A well-funded AMBER council demands a well-built claim. £35 for a professional claim pack.
DIY claim
- • Submit photos and invoices
- • Use generic template letter
- • No 70% capital-funding argument
- • No GAIST deterioration data cited
- • No prior-report search
Professional claim pack
- ✅ 70% of roads need capital funding documented
- ✅ Emergency minimum-service strategy cited
- ✅ 23,383 repairs in five years referenced
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to Southampton
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently asked questions
Southampton spends above its DfT allocation — can I still claim?
Yes. The DfT Spend scorecard is GREEN, but your claim turns on whether the specific defect that damaged your vehicle was reasonably inspected and repaired under Section 58 — not on aggregate spending. Southampton is AMBER overall because road condition is AMBER: only 24% of the network was in good (green) condition in 2024, 66% was amber and 10% red, and the council admits roads are deteriorating each year.
What if my pothole was on a residential or unclassified road?
Unclassified roads make up 475.6km — 80% of Southampton's 591.7km network. Since 2022 all U-roads are surveyed annually using GAIST 360° camera imagery. In 2024, 16.16% of U-road surface area was in moderate-to-severe deterioration (Category 4) and 6.09% in severe deterioration (Category 5). Prior CVI surveys found 8–15% of U-roads in RED condition between 2020 and 2023.
Is my pothole Hampshire County Council's responsibility or Southampton's?
Southampton City Council maintains 591.7km of roads within the city boundary only. Hampshire County Council maintains roads outside the city. National Highways is responsible for motorways and major A-roads including the M27, M3, M271, A3(M) and sections of the A34. If your damage was on a trunk road, report it to National Highways — not Southampton or Hampshire.
Southampton recorded 0% preventative maintenance in 2024/25 — does that help my claim?
It is relevant context. The council's own spending table shows 0% estimated preventative maintenance and 52% reactive in 2024/25 — the same year it prepared an “emergency/statutory minimum service” Road Repairs Strategy because of budget pressures. That does not automatically prove liability for your specific defect, but it shows the council was prioritising reactive patching over structural renewal when your pothole may have formed.
Why did pothole repairs fall from 6,137 to 4,247 — does that mean the roads are fixed?
No. Southampton still filled 4,247 potholes and footway defects in 2024/25 — 2,781 on roads alone. The council predicts around 4,400 fills in 2025/26. The lower total partly reflects the end of the “Find and Fix” programme that contributed 1,526 and 2,045 repairs in earlier years. Overall condition data shows the network is still deteriorating.
Southampton switched from SCANNER to GAIST surveys — can the council compare old and new data?
Carefully. SCANNER laser surveys cover A and B/C roads through 2023; since 2022 GAIST 360° imagery assesses all road classes using five PAS2161-style categories. The council states this alignment allows funding to be allocated more consistently — but Category 4 “moderate to severe” on A-roads rose from 3.87% to 5.57% between 2022 and 2024, and overall the council admits “the roads in Southampton are deteriorating each year.”
Do I need to report the pothole before claiming?
Reporting creates a dated council record through the Southampton Highways Partnership — useful if the defect was known before your incident or left unrepaired within the council's agreed risk-based response times. The council categorises reactive repairs by “agreed defect and risk parameters, and response times.” Keep your reference number and any confirmation emails.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | Southampton City Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025, last updated 25 June 2025). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.