Source
Department for Transport — Local road maintenance ratings 2025 to 2026
amberOverall|amber Conditiongreen Spendamber Best practice
Less than one Southend street in five is in good condition
Southend-on-Sea earns a GREEN DfT spend scorecard and nearly doubles its capital allocation. Yet the overall rating is AMBER — because on 379km of residential streets that make up 83% of the network, only 18.26% are in green condition and 23.82% need maintenance, with those figures barely shifting in four years of council surveys.
18.26%
Unclassified roads in green condition (2024)
Against 23.82% in RED and 57.92% in amber — on 379.1km of U-roads, the largest part of Southend's 457.3km carriageway network.
What the condition data shows
Four years of Gaist survey data from Southend-on-Sea City Council's own transparency report — A-roads improving slightly, local roads stuck
A-roads (33.9km — 7.4% of network): slight improvement
9.10%
RED (2024)
down from 11.12% in 2021
48.23%
Amber
up from 45.02% in 2021
42.67%
Green
broadly flat since 2021
The council attributes the fall in RED A-roads to its risk management process and large investment in resurfacing over the last five years. But A-roads are less than one-tenth of the network — and fewer than 43% are in good condition even here.
B and C roads (44.3km — 9.7% of network): mixed picture
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17.68% | 51.87% | 28.51% |
| 2022 | 14.69% | 49.67% | 33.20% |
| 2023 | 11.76% | 51.42% | 33.98% |
| 2024 | 12.65% | 53.88% | 33.47% |
RED B/C roads fell from 17.68% in 2021 to 12.65% in 2024, but two-thirds of the B/C network remains amber or red — only 33.47% in green condition.
And this is the well-funded version
£4.47m
DfT capital allocation 2025/26
£8.0m
Projected capital spend 2025/26
80%
Estimated preventative share
Southend projects spending nearly double its DfT allocation on highways capital works in 2025/26, with £8m allocated to road and pavement plans. The DfT Spend scorecard is GREEN — yet the condition rating stays AMBER because residential streets are not keeping pace.
The 379km where claims actually happen
83% of Southend's carriageway network is unclassified roads — surveyed every year, but barely improving
| Year | U-roads in RED | U-roads in amber | U-roads in green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23.44% | 48.73% | 18.14% |
| 2022 | 26.03% | 53.80% | 18.81% |
| 2023 | 24.10% | 56.44% | 18.17% |
| 2024 | 23.82% | 57.92% | 18.26% |
The frozen green line
Southend's own summary states U-roads “have not got worse overall during the last 4 years” and that it has “kept over 70% of U roads in amber and green condition.” Read the numbers differently: the green share has moved from 18.14% to 18.26% — essentially flat — while amber has climbed from 48.73% to 57.92%.
Roughly one in four U-roads has been in RED condition throughout — about 90km of residential streets, estate roads and back lanes across the city.
Gaist, not SCANNER
Most local authorities use SCANNER surveys. Southend uses Gaist surveys, which the council says achieve yearly coverage at much lower cost. From 2026/27 it will adopt the BSI PAS 2161 five-category standard — grouping roads into new, good, average, poor and end-of-service-life categories instead of red, amber and green.
For claims today, the published red/amber/green percentages and your road's inspection history matter more than the survey brand.
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 Southend's unclassified network, ask:
- • Was your road among the 23.82% in RED condition at the last survey — and what was done about it?
- • If only 18.26% of U-roads are green, how does the council prioritise preventative works on yours?
- • Did you report the defect through MySouthend before your incident — and was it inspected within 24 hours?
- • Does the risk-based scheme selection process mean your street was deprioritised despite its condition?
A council that surveys annually but keeps a quarter of residential roads in RED condition faces a harder Section 58 argument on those streets than on its improving A-roads.
11,293 pothole repairs in five years
The council's own figures — and why the 2024/25 drop is not a recovery story
| Year | Estimated potholes filled |
|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 3,469* |
| 2021/22 | 3,277* |
| 2022/23 | 1,447 |
| 2023/24 | 1,822 |
| 2024/25 | 1,278 |
| Five-year total | 11,293 |
The permanent-fix explanation
Southend states that although statistics suggest a decrease in activity, it is actually doing more: previously only temporary fixes were completed, leading to return visits and higher repair numbers. Now all potholes meeting repair standards receive permanent fixes. The council also notes figures only include reports specifically labelled as potholes — not works where several potholes were filled at the same time.
2025/26 projection
Based on previous data and its Highways Inspection policy, Southend plans roughly 2,000 pothole fills in 2025/26 — but expects the number to be much higher due to highways schemes, patching works and its proactive approach. The council estimates a further 2,000 potholes will be fixed through its capital programme this year.
The risk-based maintenance choice
Why the DfT Best Practice scorecard is AMBER — in the council's own words
“We do not automatically consider roads in the worst condition first. Instead we make sure that we look at many different factors before making decisions.”
— Southend-on-Sea City Council Local Highway Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
“Even though the statistics suggest a decrease in activity, we are actually doing more. In the past only temporary fixes to potholes were completed. This led to further visits to the same location and higher repair numbers. Now that we are permanently fixing potholes, return visits are less likely to be needed.”
— Southend-on-Sea City Council Local Highway Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
What this policy means
Southend follows a risk-based approach that prioritises busy areas around schools, hospitals and bus routes — and explicitly does not automatically target the worst-condition roads first. That is a documented maintenance philosophy, not a funding failure.
For claims, it means your argument may need to show the council knew about the specific defect — through MySouthend reports, member enquiries or its own Gaist survey data — rather than relying on network-wide deterioration alone.
Inspection standards
The council states it inspects all MySouthend reports on all roads either within 24 hours or the next working day, and believes it is “one of the best authorities in the UK” for inspecting reported issues.
That sets a clear benchmark: if you reported the pothole before your incident and it was not permanently repaired, the council's own stated inspection standard supports your case.
Five years of highways spending
Capital, revenue and preventative share — from the council's published transparency tables
| Financial year | DfT capital (£) | Capital spend (£) | Revenue spend (£) | Preventative | Reactive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (projected) | 4,473,000 | 8,000,000 | 1,041,000 | 80% | 20% |
| 2024/25 | 3,151,000 | 6,500,000 | 745,432 | 80% | 20% |
| 2023/24 | 3,151,000 | 4,000,000 | 1,153,392 | 65% | 35% |
| 2022/23 | 3,151,000 | 10,000,000 | 1,121,663 | 70% | 30% |
| 2021/22 | 2,919,000 | 10,000,000 | 791,121 | 70% | 30% |
Resurfacing plans
In 2024/25 Southend resurfaced 6km of roads and 11km of pavement. For the coming year it estimates 8km of road and over 15km of pavement, and plans to resurface 5 miles of carriageway in 2025/26 plus 10 miles of pavement across 17 schemes.
On a 457.3km road network, even ambitious resurfacing programmes touch a fraction of the carriageway each year — leaving the majority reliant on reactive pothole filling.
What the GREEN spend rating reflects
Southend consistently spends well above its DfT capital allocation — from £4m in 2023/24 to a projected £8m in 2025/26 — and has raised its preventative maintenance share to 80%. The council is investing. The AMBER condition rating reflects where that investment has not yet changed outcomes on residential streets.
Claiming against a well-funded AMBER council
Honest assessment: Southend invests seriously — here is how that changes your approach
What works in the council's favour
- ✓ GREEN spend scorecard — nearly double DfT allocation projected for 2025/26
- ✓ 80% preventative maintenance share — up from 65% in 2023/24
- ✓ Permanent pothole repairs on all defects meeting standards
- ✓ MySouthend inspection within 24 hours or next working day
- ✓ A-road RED condition falling from 11.12% to 9.10% since 2021
Expect a documented Section 58 defence on main roads and busier corridors. Generic claims will struggle.
What works in yours
- ✗ AMBER condition — 23.82% of U-roads in RED, only 18.26% in green
- ✗ 379.1km of residential streets where green condition has not improved in four years
- ✗ Risk-based policy — worst-condition roads not automatically prioritised
- ✗ 11,293 pothole repairs in five years — defects still forming between resurfacing schemes
- ✗ AMBER best practice scorecard — documented departure from condition-first maintenance
The winning strategy here is specificity
Against a council with GREEN spend and fast MySouthend inspection times, your claim lives or dies on the specific defect:
- • Prior MySouthend reports of the same pothole — proof of actual notice with a dated council record
- • Photos showing the defect's size, depth and visible age (weathered edges, previous patching)
- • The road's class — on a U-road, the 23.82% RED rate and frozen 18% green share are your structural arguments
- • Whether the council's risk-based selection process deprioritised your street despite survey data
Mac builds exactly this case: he searches for prior reports, assesses your photo evidence, and cites Southend-on-Sea's own transparency data where it helps you.
Report a pothole in Southend-on-Sea
Reporting the defect creates a council record — useful evidence whether or not you claim
Council reporting channels
Southend inspects all issues reported through MySouthend on all roads either within 24 hours or the next working day. Revenue funding covers reactive defects reported through MySouthend and via elected members, including emergency two-hour responses where needed.
- Report through MySouthend — potholes, pavements and other highway defects
- Highways Inspection policy (PDF) — repair standards and response times
Why report before you claim
A dated MySouthend report with photos creates a council record the highways team must inspect — within 24 hours or the next working day, by the council's own standard.
If the pothole was reported before your incident and not permanently repaired, that is direct evidence of actual notice — stronger than arguing from network-wide condition statistics alone.
Report a pothole to Southend-on-Sea City Council
Keep your reference number and any confirmation emails for a future claim.
Hit a pothole in Southend-on-Sea?
A well-run 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 condition data cited
- • No MySouthend prior-report search
- • No risk-based maintenance argument
Professional claim pack
- ✅ 23.82% U-road RED condition documented
- ✅ Risk-based maintenance policy cited
- ✅ 11,293 repairs in five years referenced
- ✅ Prior MySouthend reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to Southend-on-Sea
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently asked questions
Southend-on-Sea has a GREEN DfT spend scorecard — can I still claim?
Yes. The Spend scorecard is GREEN because the council projects £8m capital spend against a £4.473m DfT allocation in 2025/26. But the overall and condition ratings are AMBER — driven by 23.82% of unclassified roads in RED condition and only 18.26% in green. 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 or unclassified road?
U-roads make up 379.1km — 83% of Southend's 457.3km carriageway network. At the 2024 survey, 23.82% were in RED condition and just 18.26% in green — figures that have barely moved in four years. Most pothole damage claims happen on exactly these streets, not the 33.9km of A-roads where condition is improving.
Pothole repairs fell to 1,278 in 2024/25 — does that mean the roads are fixed?
No. Southend's own report explains the drop: the council now permanently fixes potholes rather than making temporary repairs that required return visits, inflating earlier counts. The figures also exclude works where several potholes were filled in a single visit. The council still expects roughly 2,000 pothole repairs in 2025/26, and says the true number will likely be much higher.
Does Southend's risk-based maintenance approach affect my claim?
Potentially. Southend states it does not automatically consider roads in the worst condition first, instead weighing factors such as schools, hospitals and bus routes. That is a documented policy choice — relevant when arguing whether the council had a reasonable system for knowing about defects on your specific road under Section 58.
How quickly does Southend inspect reported potholes?
The council states it inspects all issues reported through MySouthend on all roads either within 24 hours or the next working day, and describes itself as one of the best authorities in the UK for inspecting reported issues. That creates a clear standard: if you reported the defect before your incident and it was not repaired, the council's own inspection policy is on your side.
Should I report the pothole to Southend before claiming?
Yes. Reporting through MySouthend creates a dated council record — useful if the defect was reported before your incident, or if the council failed to repair it within a reasonable time. The council inspects MySouthend reports within 24 hours or the next working day. Keep your reference number and any confirmation emails.
Does Southend use the same road survey as other councils?
No. Most authorities use SCANNER surveys; Southend uses Gaist surveys, which the council says achieve yearly coverage at much lower cost. From 2026/27 it will transition to the BSI PAS 2161 five-category standard. Your claim should focus on the published red/amber/green percentages and inspection records for your road, not survey methodology alone.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | Southend-on-Sea City Council Local Highway 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 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.