West Sussex: Record Defects on a Well-Funded Network
West Sussex spends well above its DfT capital allocation and earns a GREEN spend scorecard. Yet the overall rating is AMBER — because safety defects hit a record high in 2024/25, unclassified roads in RED condition have risen to 17%, and the council filled 144,779 potholes in four years while admitting a two-year gap between survey and repair.
What The Condition Data Shows
Six years of SCANNER and visual survey data from West Sussex's own transparency report — A-roads flat, B/C roads recovering from a 2022 spike, U-roads deteriorating
A-roads (507km — 12.5% of network): broadly stable
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 4% | 24% | 72% |
| 2022 | 6% | 26% | 68% |
| 2024 | 6% | 27% | 67% |
| 2025 | 6% | 28% | 66% |
A-road RED condition has held at 6% since 2022. The council notes a slight improvement in 2025 where RED fell to 5.7% before rounding. Good-condition A-roads have drifted from 72% to 66% over six years — not a crisis, but not improving either.
B and C roads (1,334km — 32.8% of network): recovering from 2022 peak
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 4% | 27% | 69% |
| 2022 | 8% | 24% | 68% |
| 2024 | 6% | 26% | 68% |
| 2025 | 5% | 29% | 66% |
B/C roads hit 8% RED in 2022 — double the 2020 figure — before capital investment pulled RED back to 5%. But amber-condition B/C roads are now at 29%, meaning roughly a third of classified local roads are not in good condition.
GREEN Spend — But Condition Still AMBER
West Sussex topped up DfT funding with £10.7m of corporate resources for its 2025/26 programme alone. The chequebook is not the problem — yet unclassified roads keep deteriorating and safety defects keep breaking records.
The 2,228km U-Road Deterioration
55% of West Sussex's carriageway network — and the condition trend the DfT AMBER rating reflects
| Year | U-roads in RED condition |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 15% |
| 2021 | 12% |
| 2022 | 8% |
| 2023 | 10% |
| 2024 | 14% |
| 2025 | 17% |
"The proportion of the Unclassified Roads in 'RED' condition has risen by 2.9% to 16.6%, continuing an upward trend over the last 3 years. This is considered a reflection of the various pressures on the network, such as increasing volumes of utility works, and traffic as well as the impact of more extreme weather."
— West Sussex County Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
Visual Inspection, Not SCANNER
West Sussex runs annual SCANNER surveys on 100% of A and B roads and 50% of C roads. Unclassified roads receive a visual inspection on 50% of the network each year — a different, less granular method than the laser-and-camera surveys used elsewhere.
The council notes this is "in addition to safety inspections undertaken by WSCC officers in accordance with the Highway Inspection Manual." Safety inspections and condition surveys are not the same thing — and the council publishes condition data only from the surveys.
Lower Rural Standard
West Sussex acknowledges that "much of the Unclassified network, particularly in rural areas, is constructed to a lower standard" — and that neighbouring authorities show the same trend.
Lower construction standard does not eliminate the council's Section 41 duty to maintain roads to a reasonable standard. It may affect what "reasonable" looks like — but 17% RED means the council's own survey says maintenance is needed regardless.
Why This Matters For Section 58
To rely on the Section 58 defence, West Sussex must show it had a reasonable system for knowing the condition of its roads. For the county's unclassified network, ask:
- • Was your road in the 50% visually inspected this year, or the half that was not?
- • If 17% of U-roads are RED, what was done about the section where your pothole formed?
- • Does a visual inspection on alternate years provide adequate knowledge for Section 58?
- • The council cites utility works and extreme weather — did it increase inspections on affected routes?
A council that publishes rising RED percentages on 55% of its network cannot claim ignorance of deteriorating local road conditions.
Record Safety Defects — 144,779 Potholes in Four Years
The council's own revenue maintenance data — reactive work still dominates
"The highway network has been experiencing a notable, year-on-year increase in the number of safety defects, reaching the highest level on record in 2024/25. This rise is linked to a combination of an increase in named storm events and more frequent, intense and prolonged rainfall. This has led to a significant increase in flooding incidents and drainage-related issues across the network."
— West Sussex County Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
| Year | Total potholes repaired | Reactive | Preventative | Reactive share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 22,728 | 21,901 | 827 | 96% |
| 2022/23 | 29,248 | 24,320 | 4,928 | 83% |
| 2023/24 | 48,104 | 29,660 | 18,444 | 62% |
| 2024/25 | 44,699 | 32,530 | 12,169 | 73% |
| Four-year total | 144,779 | 108,411 | 36,368 | — |
~123 Potholes a Day in 2024/25
West Sussex repaired 44,699 potholes in 2024/25 — roughly 123 every day — in the same year it recorded its highest-ever safety defect count. Pothole numbers more than doubled from 22,728 in 2021/22 to a peak of 48,104 in 2023/24. A network producing defects at this rate is one where potholes routinely form between inspections.
Reactive Spend Still Rising
Reactive pothole spend rose from £992,973 in 2021/22 to £1,887,231 in 2024/25 — nearly double in three years. Preventative pothole spend also grew (to £1,784,669), but reactive work still accounted for 73% of repairs in 2024/25 after briefly falling to 62% in 2023/24.
The Two-Year Repair Lag
West Sussex's own admission on how long survey findings take to become repairs
"The timeline for surveys, data analysis, design, procurement and delivery means observed road condition is unlikely to be addressed for at least 2 years, assuming sufficient budget is available."
— West Sussex County Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report 2025
What This Means For Claims
If a road was surveyed in summer 2024 showing RED condition, the council itself says repair is unlikely before summer 2026 — even with budget available. A pothole that damaged your car in between is exactly the gap Section 58 is designed to address.
The council's condition timeline diagram is based on the Summer 2024 survey. Ask whether your road's section was flagged RED and what interim safety action was taken.
PAS 2161 From 2026/27
West Sussex notes that from 2026/27 a new methodology based on the BSI PAS2161 standard will replace the current three-category RCI system with five categories. Authorities will need PAS2161-accredited survey suppliers.
Methodology changes can make year-on-year comparisons harder — as other councils have found. Focus your claim on the specific defect and any prior reports, not network-wide trends alone.
Six Years of Spending Data
Capital investment rising steadily — the council tops up DfT funding every year since 2021/22
| Year | DfT capital allocation | Actual capital spend | Revenue spend | Preventative | Reactive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (proj.) | £31.1m | £42.7m | £21.33m | 73% | 28% |
| 2024/25 | £25.9m | £43.1m | £20.62m | 70% | 30% |
| 2023/24 | £23.9m | £38.8m | £19.06m | 71% | 29% |
| 2022/23 | £20.9m | £34.8m | £13.32m | 76% | 24% |
| 2021/22 | £20.9m | £29.5m | £10.34m | 78% | 22% |
| 2020/21 | £26.9m | £20.1m | £9.43m | 73% | 27% |
216km Treated in 2024/25 — 246km Planned for 2025/26
On a 4,069km network, 216km treated in a year is roughly 5.3% of carriageways receiving capital treatment. The council notes 2025/26 projected figures may change with in-year priorities.
Claiming Against a Well-Funded AMBER Council
Honest assessment: West Sussex invests seriously — here's how that changes your approach
What Works In The Council's Favour
- ✓ GREEN spend scorecard — capital spend exceeded DfT allocation every year since 2021/22
- ✓ 70–78% of capital classed as preventative maintenance
- ✓ Proactive response — spray injection patchers, pothole "find and fix" gangs, increased drainage capacity
- ✓ B/C road RED condition improving from 8% peak in 2022 to 5% in 2025
- ✓ Documented asset management strategy aligned to UKRLG Code of Practice
Expect a organised Section 58 defence on recently treated B/C roads. Generic claims will struggle.
What Works In Yours
- ✗ AMBER condition — U-roads in RED at 17%, highest in five published years
- ✗ AMBER best practice — not the GREEN asset-management scorecard some neighbours hold
- ✗ Record safety defects in 2024/25 — council's own words
- ✗ 144,779 potholes filled in four years — defects form faster than capital treatment covers
- ✗ Two-year survey-to-repair lag admitted in the council's own report
- ✗ 50% of U-roads visually inspected each year — not full SCANNER coverage
The Winning Strategy Here Is Specificity
Against a council with GREEN spend and proactive maintenance gangs, 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 17% RED trend and alternate-year visual survey gap are your strongest structural arguments
- • Timing relative to named storms — the council links record defects to extreme weather
- • Whether the road section was flagged RED in the last survey but not yet treated within the two-year window
Mac builds exactly this case: he searches for prior reports, assesses your photo evidence, and cites West Sussex's own transparency data where it helps you.
Hit a Pothole in West Sussex?
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 deterioration argument
- • No prior-report search
- • No two-year repair-lag citation
Professional Claim Pack
- ✅ 17% U-road RED trend documented
- ✅ Record 2024/25 defect count cited
- ✅ 144,779 repairs in four years referenced
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to West Sussex
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently Asked Questions
West Sussex spends well above its DfT allocation — can I still claim?
Yes. The DfT Spend scorecard is GREEN — West Sussex spent £43.1m of capital against a £25.866m DfT allocation in 2024/25 — but the ratings that matter for your claim are Condition and Best Practice, and both are AMBER. Section 58 of the Highways Act 1980 turns on whether the specific defect that damaged your vehicle was reasonably inspected and repaired, not on aggregate spend. A council that filled 44,699 potholes in a single year while recording its highest-ever safety defect count is, by its own numbers, running a network where defects outpace prevention.
What if my pothole was on a residential or unclassified road in West Sussex?
Unclassified roads make up 2,228km — 55% of West Sussex's 4,069km carriageway network — and 17% were in RED condition at the 2025 survey, the highest figure in five published years. The council surveys only 50% of U-roads each year via visual inspection (not SCANNER), meaning any given residential road may go a full year between condition surveys — in addition to the council's own admission that observed defects take at least two years to reach repair.
Does the council's extreme-weather explanation weaken my claim?
No — it strengthens it in the right circumstances. West Sussex links the record 2024/25 safety defect count to named storms, intense rainfall and flooding. That is documented knowledge that the network is under elevated stress. If your pothole formed after a named storm or on a drainage-prone route, the council cannot simultaneously cite weather as the cause of record defects and argue it had no reason to inspect more frequently.
West Sussex says B and C roads are improving — does that hurt claims on those roads?
Partially. RED-condition B/C roads fell from an 8% peak in 2022 to 5% in 2025, and the council attributes this to capital investment. Expect a stronger Section 58 defence on recently treated B/C corridors. But amber-condition B/C roads rose to 29% in 2025 — a third of the classified local network still needs attention — and the overall DfT Condition rating remains AMBER. Your claim still turns on the specific defect: prior reports, photos showing age, and whether that section had been surveyed recently.
Pothole repairs dipped from 48,104 to 44,699 in 2024/25 — are the roads fixed?
No. West Sussex still repaired 44,699 potholes in 2024/25 — roughly 123 every day — and the council recorded the highest number of safety defects on record in the same year. The dip from 2023/24's peak of 48,104 is not evidence of recovery; reactive pothole work still accounted for 73% of repairs, and the council itself says defect numbers are rising year on year.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | West Sussex County Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.