Source
Department for Transport — Local road maintenance ratings 2025 to 2026
amberOverall|amber Conditiongreen Spendred Best Practice
Tameside: RED Best Practice on a Four-Year Survey Cycle
Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council meets DfT spend thresholds and earns a GREEN spend scorecard. Yet the DfT rates its overall performance AMBER and its asset management approach RED — because the council's own transparency report reveals its Highway Asset Management Plan is still awaiting formal approval, U-road RED condition has risen to 15.4% on a network where 80% of carriageways are surveyed only once every four years.
RED
Best practice scorecard
While the HAMP and supporting documents are "currently being updated" and the Skid Resistance Plan remains "pending approval" — the council's own governance framework for Section 58 is not yet complete.
Why Best Practice Is RED
The DfT's RED scorecard is not a headline — it reflects what Tameside's own report admits about its asset management framework
"The HAMP and supporting documents is currently being updated and will be added to the council's highway network webpage once formally approved."
— Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
"This document will be uploaded onto the council's website once formal approval has been granted and will supersede the HAMP 2015 which can be found currently on the council's website: PolicyandStrategy.pdf"
— Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Incomplete Governance Framework
The council lists linked documents that underpin its Highway Asset Management Plan — including a Highway Management Communication Plan, Performance Management Plan, Risk Management Plan, Winter Service Policy, and a Skid Resistance Plan that is still "pending approval".
A Section 58 defence typically relies on showing a reasonable, documented system of inspection and maintenance. Tameside's own report confirms that system is still being finalised.
What The DfT Penalised
- • Asset management plan not yet formally approved or published
- • Skid Resistance Plan still pending approval
- • HAMP 2015 still the live document on the council website
- • U-road condition data on a four-year CVI cycle across 565km
- • 53% of 2024/25 maintenance spend classified as reactive
Section 58 And Best Practice
Under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, Tameside must maintain its roads. Under Section 58, it can defend a claim by proving it took such care as was reasonable to secure that the part of the highway in question was not dangerous. A RED best-practice rating signals the DfT does not consider Tameside's published approach to meet national standards — ask:
- • Which version of the HAMP governed inspections when your defect formed?
- • Was the Skid Resistance Plan approved and in force at the time?
- • Can the council produce the Risk Management Plan it cites but has not yet published?
- • How does an asset management system still awaiting approval demonstrate reasonable care?
The council cannot point to a fully approved, published asset management framework — because its own report says it does not have one yet.
The 565km Residential Majority
Network size from Tameside's own transparency report — where most pothole claims actually happen
| Road class | Length (km) | Share of network | Survey method | Survey cycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A roads | 74 | 10.5% | SCANNER | Two-year cycle |
| B and C roads | 68 | 9.6% | SCANNER | Two-year cycle |
| U roads | 565 | 79.9% | CVI | Four-year cycle |
| Total carriageways | 707 | 100% | — | — |
"The condition of U roads is determined by a CVI survey which is completed every year on a four-year cycle to cover the full network."
— Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
The Four-Year Blind Spot
On a four-year CVI cycle, roughly 141km of U-roads are condition-surveyed each year — leaving approximately 424km without a fresh network-level assessment in any given year. For a pothole claim on a residential street in Ashton, Hyde, Stalybridge or Dukinfield, the critical Section 58 questions are:
- • When was your specific road last included in the CVI programme?
- • Did the council rely on complaint-driven inspections between surveys?
- • If 15.4% of U-roads are RED, what action was taken on yours before your incident?
What The Condition Data Shows
Five years of RCI survey data from Tameside's own transparency report — classified roads stable, U-roads deteriorating
A-roads (74km — 10.5% of network): broadly stable
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3.2% | 25.6% | 71.2% |
| 2021 | 3.6% | 18.4% | 78.0% |
| 2022 | 5.3% | 19.6% | 75.1% |
| 2023 | 5.0% | 21.2% | 73.8% |
| 2024 | 4.8% | 23.1% | 72.1% |
A-road RED has edged up from 3.2% to 4.8% since 2020, and green has slipped from a 2021 peak of 78.0% to 72.1%. Main roads are not the problem — they are one-tenth of the network.
B and C roads (68km — 9.6% of network): stable
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2.7% | 25.8% | 71.5% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | 18.4% | 79.9% |
| 2022 | 2.7% | 18.8% | 78.5% |
| 2023 | 2.8% | 20.1% | 77.2% |
| 2024 | 2.4% | 21.2% | 76.5% |
B/C roads perform well on paper — but at 68km they are less than a tenth of the borough. The AMBER condition rating is driven by what is happening on U-roads.
U-roads (565km — 80% of network): deteriorating
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 13.0% | 3.5% | 83.5% |
| 2021 | 12.0% | 3.7% | 84.2% |
| 2022 | 12.9% | 6.3% | 80.8% |
| 2023 | 12.7% | 13.1% | 74.2% |
| 2024 | 15.4% | 14.5% | 70.1% |
U-road RED condition has risen from 13.0% to 15.4% since 2020 — roughly 87km of residential streets now classified as requiring maintenance within 12 months. Green-condition U-roads have fallen from 83.5% to 70.1%, and amber has quadrupled from 3.5% to 14.5%.
GREEN Spend, Reactive Reality
£3.536m
DfT capital allocation 2025/26
£4.974m
Budgeted total spend 2025/26
53%
Reactive share of spend in 2024/25
Tameside earns GREEN on spend — but in 2024/25 more than half of maintenance expenditure was reactive, and U-roads kept deteriorating. The 2025/26 budget targets 71% preventative capital spend, which is a plan, not proof the network is fixed.
Five Years Of Maintenance Spend
Capital allocation, actual spend, and preventative vs reactive split from the council's own report
| Year | DfT capital (£) | Capital spend (£) | Revenue spend (£) | Total (£) | Preventative | Reactive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 budget | 3,536,000 | 3,536,000 | 1,438,000 | 4,974,000 | 71% | 29% |
| 2024/25 | 3,536,000 | 1,771,526 | 1,571,875 | 3,343,401 | 47% | 53% |
| 2023/24 | 4,051,493 | 3,100,000 | 2,673,000 | 5,773,000 | 46% | 54% |
| 2022/23 | 3,536,000 | 4,422,000 | 3,621,000 | 8,043,000 | 45% | 55% |
| 2021/22 | 3,915,000 | 4,210,000 | 3,353,000 | 7,563,000 | 44% | 56% |
| 2020/21 | 2,315,724 | 5,752,000 | 2,426,000 | 8,178,000 | 30% | 70% |
"Reactive Maintenance – works undertaken as a result of inspections or from complaints received that exceed the stated risk management intervention criteria. This includes, as an example, filing potholes, replacing failed lighting lanterns."
— Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
19,814 Potholes in Five Years
The scale of reactive repair tells you how many defects this network produces
| Year | Estimated potholes repaired |
|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 4,472 |
| 2023/24 | 4,040 |
| 2022/23 | 3,759 |
| 2021/22 | 3,733 |
| 2020/21* | Not listed separately |
| Five-year total | 19,814 |
~12 Potholes a Day in 2024/25
The council states it repaired 19,814 potholes over five years — an average of 3,962 each year. In 2024/25 alone, 4,472 estimated repairs works out at roughly 12 potholes filled every day across 707km. Defects that form between inspections are exactly where prior reports and photographic evidence decide claims.
The Missing Year Row
The published pothole table lists four individual years totalling 16,004 repairs, while the five-year headline is 19,814 — implying approximately 3,810 repairs in 2020/21 that the table does not break out. The report also labels one row "2022 to 2024" where the pattern suggests 2022/23. Treat year-on-year comparisons with care.
"The 2025 / 2026 programme will have a targeted approach, based on the criteria above, in order to reduce the number of reactive repairs without being detrimental to the lifecycle of the network."
— Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
"Larger patching works will be delivered as this is more cost effective, and sustainable, than repairing individual pot holes."
— Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Forward Plans And Methodology
What the council says it will do — and how it measures condition today
Inspection And Survey Methods
- • A and B/C roads: SCANNER laser survey, two-year cycle
- • U-roads: CVI survey, four-year cycle
- • RCI categories: Green (good), Amber (maintenance may be required soon), Red (maintenance within 12 months)
- • From 2026/27: PAS 2161 methodology with five categories instead of three
- • 30 KPIs monitored including % of network in red condition and public satisfaction
2025/26 Programme Priorities
- • Priority preventative works on roads in early deterioration
- • Resurfacing prioritised by condition data, route importance, traffic, reactive history, density and complaints
- • Regular bridge and drainage inspections per national guidance
- • Street works coordination via Street Manager and Symology systems
- • Network Resilience Plan published on the council service charter page
"Tameside council recognises the importance of its highway infrastructure and how an effectively maintained and managed highway network is fundamental in supporting the local economy."
— Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Claiming Against an AMBER Council With GREEN Spend
Honest assessment: Tameside is not Derbyshire — here is how that changes your approach
What Works In The Council's Favour
- ✓ GREEN spend scorecard — meets DfT investment thresholds
- ✓ B/C road condition stable — RED at 2.4% in 2024
- ✓ 2025/26 budget targets 71% preventative capital spend
- ✓ Member of LCRIG, APSE and Measure2Improve benchmarking groups
- ✓ Annual NHT stakeholder satisfaction survey commissioned
Expect a structured response on A and B/C roads with recent SCANNER data. Generic claims will struggle.
What Works In Yours
- ✗ RED best practice — HAMP and Skid Resistance Plan not yet formally approved
- ✗ AMBER condition — U-road RED up from 13.0% to 15.4% since 2020
- ✗ 80% of network on a four-year CVI survey cycle
- ✗ 53% reactive spend in 2024/25 — majority reactive, not preventative
- ✗ 19,814 pothole repairs in five years — defects form faster than surveys catch them
The Winning Strategy Here Is Specificity
Against a council with GREEN spend but RED best practice, 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 four-year CVI cycle is your strongest structural argument
- • Whether the HAMP that was supposed to govern maintenance was even approved when your incident occurred
Mac builds exactly this case: he searches for prior reports, assesses your photo evidence, and cites Tameside's own transparency data — including the RED best-practice rating — where it helps you.
Hit a Pothole in Tameside?
RED best practice demands a well-built claim. £35 for a professional claim pack.
DIY Claim
- • Submit photos and invoices
- • Use generic template letter
- • No four-year U-road survey argument
- • No prior-report search
- • No HAMP approval-gap analysis
Professional Claim Pack
- ✅ RED best-practice rating documented
- ✅ Four-year U-road CVI cycle argued
- ✅ 15.4% U-road RED condition cited
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to Tameside
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Tameside's RED best practice rating mean for my pothole claim?
The DfT has formally scored Tameside's highways asset management approach as failing national best-practice standards. The council's own transparency report states its Highway Asset Management Plan and supporting documents are "currently being updated" and will only be published "once formally approved", with the Skid Resistance Plan still "pending approval". That undermines a Section 58 defence based on a mature, fully documented maintenance system.
Tameside has a GREEN spend scorecard — can I still claim?
Yes. GREEN spend reflects that Tameside's capital and revenue investment meets DfT thresholds, but the overall rating is AMBER and best practice is RED. Section 58 turns on whether the specific defect that damaged your vehicle was reasonably inspected and repaired — not on aggregate spend. In 2024/25 the council's own figures show 53% of maintenance spend was reactive, and it filled an estimated 4,472 potholes across its 707km network.
What if my pothole was on a residential or unclassified road?
U-roads make up 565km — 80% of Tameside's 707km carriageway network. The council surveys U-roads via CVI on a four-year cycle, meaning only around a quarter of the residential network is condition-assessed in any given year. At the latest survey, 15.4% of U-roads were in RED condition (up from 13.0% in 2020), with green-condition U-roads falling from 83.5% to 70.1%.
Does the two-year SCANNER cycle on A and B/C roads help the council's Section 58 defence?
A-roads (74km) and B/C roads (68km) together account for just 142km — 20% of the network. SCANNER covers them on a two-year cycle, so half the classified network has no fresh condition data in any given year. For the 80% of the borough that is U-roads, the gap is wider still: a four-year CVI cycle. Whether your road was surveyed recently is a factual question the council must answer with records, not assumptions.
Does filling 19,814 potholes in five years mean the roads are fixed?
No. Tameside repaired an estimated 19,814 potholes over five years — an average of 3,962 per year, including 4,472 in 2024/25 alone (roughly 12 every day). The council's 2025/26 programme explicitly aims to "reduce the number of reactive repairs" while delivering "larger patching works" because they are "more cost effective, and sustainable, than repairing individual pot holes" — an admission that reactive pothole filling is not the same as fixing the network.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (October 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 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.