Stockton-on-Tees: estate roads in RED condition have more than doubled since 2021
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council matches its DfT capital allocation pound for pound and earns a GREEN spend scorecard. Yet the overall DfT rating is AMBER — because 22% of its 673km unclassified road network is now in RED condition, up from just 10% in 2021, while classified main roads stay below 2% RED.
What the condition data shows
Five years of SCANNER and CVI survey data from Stockton-on-Tees's own transparency report — main roads steady, estate roads deteriorating
A-roads (73km — 8.5% of network): stable and green
All A-roads in the borough are subject to an annual SCANNER condition survey. Credit where due: main routes are in genuinely good shape. But A-roads are less than one-tenth of the network.
B and C roads (114km — 13% of network): amber creeping up
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3% | 24% | 73% |
| 2021 | 1% | 21% | 78% |
| 2022 | 1% | 11% | 88% |
| 2023 | 1% | 13% | 86% |
| 2024 | 1% | 17% | 82% |
RED rates on B and C roads have stayed at or below 1% since 2021, but the amber share has climbed back to 17% — up from a low of 11% in 2022. Nearly one in five classified local roads may soon need maintenance.
GREEN spend — but no overspend cushion
Unlike some neighbouring Tees Valley authorities, Stockton-on-Tees matches its DfT allocation exactly — capital spend has equalled the DfT figure every year since 2020/21. The GREEN spend scorecard reflects disciplined budgeting, not surplus investment. With estate roads deteriorating on 78% of the network, that distinction matters for where maintenance effort actually lands.
The 673km estate road network
78% of Stockton-on-Tees's adopted roads are unclassified — surveyed over a two-year cycle
| Year | U-roads in RED condition |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 13% |
| 2021 | 10% |
| 2022 | 15% |
| 2023 | 20% |
| 2024 | 22% |
The two-year survey gap
Stockton's report states that 50% of the unclassified road network is surveyed each year — meaning the whole estate network is covered over a two-year period using Coarse Visual Inspection (CVI) methodology. Unlike A, B and C roads, which receive annual SCANNER surveys, your residential street may not have been condition-assessed in the year of your incident.
At 22% RED in 2024, roughly 148km of estate roads across Thornaby, Yarm, Billingham, Norton and surrounding villages are in the category the council defines as “should be considered for maintenance.”
Council's own explanation
Stockton acknowledges that “the unclassified road network figures are subject to fluctuation” and attributes this partly to the two-year survey cycle and partly to the age and mixed construction of estate roads.
The council also notes that “a lot of the roads are old and made up of layers of differing types of road construction materials, leading to the risk of unpredictable rates of deterioration.” That is documented awareness of elevated deterioration risk on exactly the roads where most pothole claims arise.
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 Stockton's unclassified network, ask:
- • When was your road last CVI-surveyed — year one or year two of the cycle?
- • If 22% of U-roads were RED at the last survey, what was done about yours?
- • How does the council track deterioration on roads it inspects only every other year?
- • Did reactive pothole filling on your street address the underlying carriageway condition?
A council cannot claim detailed knowledge of a network where half the condition data is always a year old — while RED rates on that network have more than doubled since 2021.
63,935 pothole repairs in five years
The scale of reactive repair tells you how many defects this network produces
| Year | Potholes filled | Daily average |
|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 12,438 | ~34/day |
| 2021/22 | 9,129 | ~25/day |
| 2022/23 | 8,017 | ~22/day |
| 2023/24 | 18,881 | ~52/day |
| 2024/25 | 15,470 | ~42/day |
| Five-year total | 63,935 | ~35/day avg |
The 2023/24 spike
Pothole repairs more than doubled from 8,017 in 2022/23 to 18,881 in 2023/24 — roughly 52 defects patched every day for a year. For 2025/26 the council estimates approximately 12,800 pothole repairs. A network producing defects at this rate is, by definition, one where potholes routinely form between inspections.
Resurfacing vs reactive
Carriageway resurfacing fell to just 4.4km (2.7 miles) in 2022/23 — the lowest in five years — before recovering to 6.2km in 2024/25. The council plans 6.3km (3.9 miles) for 2025/26. Reactive pothole filling and preventative resurfacing tell different stories about whether underlying road condition is actually improving.
What the council says about estate road condition
Stockton-on-Tees's own explanation for fluctuating U-road figures — in its own words
“As can be seen from the tables, the condition of the classified road network is being maintained at a reasonably steady state, though the unclassified road network figures are subject to fluctuation. This can be attributed to the following reasons: a 2-year survey cycle means that 50% of the data used for calculating unclassified road condition figures is always 1 year old; the unclassified road network is a large network and, due to its nature, a lot of the roads are old and made up of layers of differing types of road construction materials, leading to the risk of unpredictable rates of deterioration.”
— Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (27 June 2025)
What this admission means
The council formally distinguishes between steady classified roads and fluctuating estate roads. It documents that older, layered construction on unclassified routes creates “unpredictable rates of deterioration” — documented knowledge of elevated risk on the road type where most claims happen.
That does not mean every claim succeeds. But it frames the question Section 58 asks: was the council's inspection and maintenance system reasonable for a network it knows deteriorates unpredictably?
Questions worth asking
- • Was your road on the half of the U-network surveyed in the year of your incident?
- • Did the council increase inspection frequency as RED rates climbed from 10% to 22%?
- • If deterioration was known to be unpredictable, why wasn't the defect caught?
- • Does a pothole patch on layered, ageing construction address the underlying failure?
Claiming against an AMBER-rated Tees Valley council
Honest assessment: Stockton-on-Tees is not failing on spend — here is how that changes your approach
What works in the council's favour
- ✓ GREEN spend scorecard — capital spend matches DfT allocation every year since 2020/21
- ✓ A-road condition genuinely strong — 1% RED, 87% green in 2024
- ✓ 61–65% of spend classed as preventative maintenance in recent years
- ✓ Documented asset management strategy with annual SCANNER surveys on classified roads
- ✓ Street Works Permit Scheme and quarterly utility coordination meetings
Expect a well-documented Section 58 defence on A-roads and main classified routes. Generic claims will struggle.
What works in yours
- ✗ AMBER condition — 22% of U-roads in RED, more than double the 2021 figure
- ✗ 78% of the network surveyed only over a two-year CVI cycle
- ✗ 63,935 pothole repairs in five years — including an 18,881 spike in 2023/24
- ✗ B/C amber share rising to 17% in 2024
- ✗ Council admits unpredictable deterioration on ageing estate road construction
The winning strategy here is specificity
Against a council with a GREEN spend scorecard and steady classified-road data, your claim lives or dies on the specific defect:
- • Prior reports of the same pothole (FixMyStreet, council online forms) — 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 two-year survey gap is your strongest structural argument
- • Whether the road appeared on the council's 2025/26 resurfacing programme (3.9 miles planned)
Mac builds exactly this case: he searches for prior reports, assesses your photo evidence, and cites Stockton-on-Tees's own transparency data where it helps you.
Report the pothole to Stockton-on-Tees first
Stockton's transparency report covers reactive maintenance undertaken in response to inspections and public reports. Reporting the defect through the council creates a dated record — useful evidence if the pothole was reported before your incident, or if the council failed to repair it within a reasonable time.
Report a damaged road or path — Stockton CouncilFor immediate safety risks, call the Care for your Area team on 01642 391959 (Mon–Fri 8.30am–5pm, Sat 9.30am–12.30pm). Keep your reference number and any confirmation emails.
Hit a pothole in Stockton-on-Tees?
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 deterioration argument
- • No prior-report search
- • No two-year survey-gap analysis
Professional claim pack
- ✅ 22% U-road RED condition documented
- ✅ Two-year CVI survey gap argued
- ✅ 63,935 repairs in five years cited
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to Stockton-on-Tees
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently asked questions
Stockton-on-Tees has a GREEN spend scorecard — can I still claim?
Yes. The DfT Spend scorecard is GREEN because the council matches its capital allocation, but the overall rating is AMBER — driven by road condition. Unclassified roads where 22% are in RED condition in 2024, up from 10% in 2021. Section 58 turns on whether the specific defect that damaged your vehicle was reasonably inspected and repaired, not on whether capital spend equals the DfT allocation.
What if my pothole was on a residential or estate road?
U-roads make up 673km — 78% of Stockton-on-Tees's 860km adopted carriageway network. The council's own CVI surveys show RED-condition unclassified roads rising from 10% in 2021 to 22% in 2024. Only 50% of the U-road network is surveyed each year, meaning the whole estate network is measured over a two-year cycle.
Does the rise to 22% RED U-roads strengthen my claim?
It can. Stockton-on-Tees documents a sustained climb in RED-condition estate roads — 13% in 2020, 10% in 2021, 15% in 2022, 20% in 2023 and 22% in 2024. The council itself says unclassified road condition figures are subject to fluctuation, but the five-year trend is upward. On a residential street, that documented deterioration — combined with the two-year survey gap — is relevant to whether the council had reasonable knowledge of the defect.
Why did pothole repairs jump to 18,881 in 2023/24?
The council's transparency report records 18,881 pothole repairs in 2023/24 — more than double the 8,017 filled in 2022/23. The report does not attribute a single cause, but a network producing defects at that rate is one where potholes routinely form between scheduled inspections — exactly the scenario where prior reports and photographic evidence decide claims.
Are the A19 and A66 still Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council?
Not all of them. Stockton's transparency report states the council does not maintain trunk roads — those are National Highways' responsibility. The council's reporting page notes the A19 and A66 may require separate contact depending on which section you are on. Check which authority maintains the road where your incident occurred before claiming.
Should I report the pothole to Stockton before claiming?
Yes. Reporting 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. Use the council's online damaged road or path form, or call 01642 391959 during office hours for urgent safety risks. Keep your reference number and any confirmation emails.
Does the two-year U-road survey cycle affect Section 58?
It can. Stockton surveys 50% of its unclassified network each year, completing a full cycle over two years. The council explicitly states that “50% of the data used for calculating unclassified road condition figures is always 1 year old.” For Section 58, that raises questions about how current the council's knowledge was of your specific residential road at the time of your incident.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (27 June 2025). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.