Source
Department for Transport — Local road maintenance ratings 2025 to 2026
redOverall|amber Conditionamber Spendamber Best Practice
Source caveat: Westmorland and Furness Council was formed in April 2023. Its transparency report provides condition and spending data only from local government reorganisation — not full predecessor-authority history. Pothole counts changed recording methodology in mid-2023/24.
34,228 Pothole Repairs in 2024/25 on a Red-Rated Rural Network
Westmorland and Furness Council — a unitary authority formed in April 2023 — maintains 4,344km of roads worth an estimated £4 billion. The DfT rates it RED overall with AMBER condition, spend and best-practice scorecards. Its own report records 34,228 pothole fills in 2024/25 — roughly 94 repairs per day — while U-road RED condition rose from 24.8% to 26.9% despite AI-led inspection. Section 58 still turns on your specific defect.
34,228
Potholes filled in 2024/25
Up from 3,797 in 2021/22 — an 800% rise even after accounting for mid-2023/24 recording changes. The council plans 30,000–40,000 more repairs in 2025/26 across 2,600 miles of Lake District and Furness highways.
4,344km Across the Lake District and Furness Peninsula
Network scale from the council's June 2025 transparency report — where rural pothole claims actually happen
4,344km
Total carriageway
~2,600 miles
1,942km
Unclassified (U) roads
45% of the network
1,606km
B and C roads
37% of network
507km
A roads
12% — includes tourist and trunk corridors
| Asset | Scale |
|---|---|
| Unsurfaced roads | 289km (7%) |
| Footways | 1,431km |
| Public rights of way | 2,108km |
| Cycleways | 889km |
"Westmorland and Furness Council has over 2,600 miles of carriageway and an estimated value of £4 billion. The highway network is a significant asset that connects people and places across Westmorland and Furness contributing to the wellbeing of residents, thriving communities, and enabling people to access work, learning and business opportunities to fulfil their ambitions."
— Westmorland and Furness Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
What AMBER Condition Actually Shows
Condition data from April 2023 only — AMBER scorecard driven by U-road deterioration
LGR caveat: Due to local government reorganisation in April 2023, condition data exists only from when Westmorland and Furness Council was formed. Predecessor authority records are not included in published figures. For U-roads, the council publishes RED percentages only — not full red/amber/green breakdowns — despite deploying annual AI-led surveys across the entire U-class network.
A roads (507km) — surveyed annually, stable
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3.8% | 25.7% | 70.5% |
| 2024 | 3.8% | 25.7% | 70.5% |
A-road condition is stable year-on-year at 70.5% green — but A-roads are just 12% of the carriageway network. Some major routes (including parts of the A66) are maintained by National Highways, not the council.
B and C roads (1,606km) — slight improvement
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 10.5% | 36.6% | 52.9% |
| 2024 | 9.45% | 37.2% | 53.3% |
B-roads are surveyed annually (100% coverage); C-roads at 50% coverage annually. RED condition fell marginally from 10.5% to 9.45% — a modest gain on 37% of the network.
Unclassified roads (1,942km) — deteriorating despite AI
| Year | Red (published) | Amber / Green |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 24.8% | Not published |
| 2024 | 26.9% | Not published |
U-road RED condition rose 2.1 percentage points — roughly 41km of additional residential and estate roads slipping into the worst category. At 26.9% RED, approximately 523km of U-roads require maintenance treatment. These are the roads most residents use daily.
"Each year, we conduct a comprehensive inspection of our entire U-class road network to ensure safety and maintenance standards are upheld. As part of this process, we deploy advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology that systematically captures, analyzes, and reports the condition of these roads."
— Westmorland and Furness Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
From 3,797 to 34,228 in Four Years
Estimated potholes filled — with a mid-2023/24 recording methodology change
Recording caveat: The method for counting potholes filled changed in mid-2023/24. Before that date, one defect was recorded as one pothole; afterwards, the actual number of repairs on each defect was recorded. That inflates 2024/25 relative to earlier years — but 2023/24 already showed 16,107 fills (+148% on 2022/23) before the change took effect.
| Year | Potholes filled | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 3,797 | Baseline |
| 2022/23 | 6,487 | +71% |
| 2023/24 | 16,107 | +148% |
| 2024/25 | 34,228 | +112% |
| 2025/26 (planned) | 30,000–40,000 | Council estimate |
| Four-year total (2021/22–2024/25) | 60,619 | 800% rise since 2021/22 |
94
Repairs per day
Based on 34,228 in 2024/25
13,000
Found by inspections
Council potholes page, 2024/25
2,555
Reported by public
Of ~15,600 system-recorded defects
Why this matters for your claim
Filling 34,228 potholes in one year does not demonstrate a "reasonable system" under Section 58. It demonstrates reactive workload at scale — defects forming faster than preventative resurfacing prevents them, despite claimed 87.99% preventative spending.
- • Can the council produce the inspection date and defect log for your specific road?
- • Was your pothole among the 13,000 found by inspection, or only discovered after damage?
- • If AI surveys captured your street, what did they show — and when was repair scheduled?
Following the Money
AMBER spend scorecard — high investment, but reactive repairs still dominate the story
| Year | DfT capital (£000s) | Capital spend (£000s) | Preventative | Reactive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (proj.) | 4,525 | 33,142 | 87.99% | 12.01% |
| 2024/25 | 4,143 | 29,341 | 87.63% | 12.37% |
| 2023/24 | 4,595 | 22,648 | 83.13% | 16.87% |
| 2021/22 – 2022/23 | Not applicable — council formed April 2023 | |||
Why spend is AMBER, not GREEN
Projected 2025/26 capital spend of £33.1m is more than seven times the DfT allocation of £4.5m — a credible investment story. But the DfT Spend scorecard also weighs how effectively money translates into network outcomes. U-road condition is worsening and pothole volumes are at crisis levels despite rising preventative spend shares.
The preventative spending paradox
The council classifies 87.99% of maintenance as preventative — yet budgets £8.4m to fill 30,000–40,000 potholes in 2025/26. Either preventative treatments are not preventing defects on U-roads, or the categorisation does not reflect on-the-ground reactive reality. Both interpretations help a evidence-led claim.
Planned Work 2025/26
£37.7 million highways investment — what the council says it will deliver
30–40k
Pothole repairs planned
£8.4m pothole programme
59
Road resurfacing schemes
£7.5m programme
66 miles
Surface dressing
£3.3m — 53 locations
~100
Bridges and structures
£3.4m investment
Coverage maths
Resurfacing 59 roads and surface-dressing 66 miles treats a fraction of 4,344km (2,600 miles) of carriageway in a single year. The remaining network relies on AI-led U-road surveys, reactive pothole filling and routine safety inspections — on roads where RED condition already sits at 26.9% and the council expects up to 40,000 more pothole repairs.
A New Council With Inherited Networks
Formed April 2023 — limited published history, predecessor inspection records in question
What LGR created
- • Unitary authority from South Lakeland, Barrow-in-Furness, Eden and other predecessor councils
- • One of England's largest rural highway networks — Lake District, coastal Furness, mountain passes
- • Condition and spending transparency data from April 2023 only
- • AI-led U-road surveys deployed from the new authority's first published year
Section 58 continuity questions
Section 58 requires proof of a reasonable system maintained consistently — not just since April 2023.
- • What inspection standards applied before LGR on your road?
- • Were predecessor inspection records transferred accurately?
- • Can the council demonstrate continuity from South Lakeland, Barrow or Eden systems?
"Due to local government reorganization (LGR) with Westmorland and Furness Council coming into being in April 2023 the condition data has only been provided since that LGR."
— Westmorland and Furness Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
"The Highways network in Westmorland and Furness is an ageing asset and it has been affected by recent extreme weather events, which are becoming more regular. Maintaining this asset to the standards expected within the resources available will always remain a challenge."
— Westmorland and Furness Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
"Available funds are limited, therefore it is important to optimise our resources to get maximum value from the highway asset."
— Westmorland and Furness Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
What the Council Acknowledges
Verbatim admissions from the June 2025 transparency report
On ageing assets and extreme weather
"The Highways network in Westmorland and Furness is an ageing asset and it has been affected by recent extreme weather events, which are becoming more regular."
— Westmorland and Furness Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
On limited resources
"Available funds are limited, therefore it is important to optimise our resources to get maximum value from the highway asset."
— Westmorland and Furness Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
On statutory duty vs planned works
"In addition to this the Council uses its own funds to carry out reactive and general maintenance works to the highway network including: gully cleaning, verge maintenance, defect repairs, road marking maintenance."
— Westmorland and Furness Council Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
What this means for claimants
Weather damage, ageing infrastructure and limited budgets are the council's operational challenges — not your liability. Section 58 does not excuse a statutory duty because resources are tight. If the council admits it cannot maintain the network to expected standards, that is evidence the system may not be "reasonable" for your road.
Inspections, AI Surveys and Section 58
How the council says it knows network condition — and where gaps appear
Survey frequency
- • A roads: annual SCANNER surveys, 100% coverage one direction
- • B roads: annual surveys, 100% coverage one direction
- • C roads: annual surveys, 50% coverage one direction
- • U roads: annual comprehensive AI-led inspection of entire network
- • From 2026/27: PAS 2161 five-category standard replaces three-band RAG
The AI inspection question
If AI systematically captures, analyses and reports U-road condition annually, ask why RED U-road percentages rose from 24.8% to 26.9% and why 34,228 potholes needed filling in 2024/25.
The council's potholes page states 13,000 defects were found through inspections and 2,555 reported by the public — yet over 33,000 were fixed in total, including backlog and defects found during nearby repairs.
Section 41 vs Section 58
Under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, Westmorland and Furness must maintain public highways. To defend a claim under Section 58, it must show a reasonable system for inspecting and repairing the specific defect — not just publish highways investment plans.
- • Date and time of last inspection of your specific road
- • Inspector notes or AI data identifying any defects at survey
- • Evidence the defect was not present or not reportable at inspection
- • If reportable, evidence of scheduling repair within stated timeframes
- • Predecessor-authority inspection records if your incident predates April 2023
Without road-specific evidence, a RED-rated reactive maintenance pattern undermines the Section 58 defence.
Claiming Against a Red-Rated Rural Authority
Honest assessment: high spend and AI surveys exist — but outcomes are deteriorating on U-roads
What works in the council's favour
- ✓ AMBER (not RED) condition, spend and best-practice scorecards
- ✓ Capital spend ~7× DfT allocation (£33.1m vs £4.5m projected)
- ✓ 87.99% preventative spend claimed for 2025/26
- ✓ Annual AI-led surveys across entire U-road network
- ✓ A-road and B/C road condition stable or improving
- ✓ £37.7m highways investment planned for 2025/26
Expect the council to cite AI inspection, asset management strategy and high capital budgets in its Section 58 defence.
What works in yours
- ✗ RED overall DfT rating
- ✗ 34,228 pothole fills in 2024/25 — 94 repairs per day
- ✗ U-road RED condition worsening: 24.8% → 26.9%
- ✗ 1,942km of U-roads — 45% of network — where most claims start
- ✗ LGR limited history — condition data from April 2023 only
- ✗ Council admits ageing assets, extreme weather and limited funds
- ✗ 30,000–40,000 more pothole repairs planned for 2025/26
The winning strategy here is specificity
Against a council citing AI surveys and £37.7m investment, your claim lives or dies on the specific defect:
- • Prior reports of the same pothole — proof of actual notice beyond AI survey snapshots
- • Photos showing defect size, depth and visible age (weathered edges, previous patching)
- • Road class — on a U-road, worsening RED percentages and AI survey obligations are your structural arguments
- • Whether the council can produce AI inspection data and repair logs for your street, not network averages
Mac builds exactly this case: prior-report search, photo assessment, and citations from Westmorland and Furness's own transparency data — without overstating council-wide failure where A-roads are stable.
Report a Pothole to Westmorland and Furness Council
Reporting a defect creates a record the council had notice. Do this before claiming — and tell us when you reported it so we can reference it in your pack.
Report street or road damage — westmorlandandfurness.gov.ukHit a Pothole in Westmorland and Furness?
A red-rated rural network demands a precise claim. £35 for a professional claim pack.
DIY claim
- • Submit photos and invoices
- • Use generic template letter
- • No 34,228 pothole repair context
- • No U-road deterioration evidence
- • No LGR inspection-gap argument
Professional claim pack
- ✅ 34,228 pothole fills (94/day) documented
- ✅ U-roads 26.9% RED deterioration cited
- ✅ AI inspection claims challenged
- ✅ LGR continuity argument included
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to Westmorland and Furness
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently asked questions
Westmorland and Furness is RED overall — does that guarantee my claim will succeed?
No guarantee, but it frames your argument. The Department for Transport rates the council RED overall with AMBER scorecards for condition, spend and best practice — driven partly by U-road condition scores and reactive repair volumes. Section 58 still turns on whether the specific defect that damaged your vehicle was reasonably inspected and repaired. The 34,228 pothole fills in 2024/25 and worsening U-road RED percentages strengthen a claim that the network-level system is struggling, but your photos, prior reports and road class matter most.
What if my pothole was on a residential or unclassified road?
Unclassified roads make up 1,942km — 45% of Westmorland and Furness's 4,344km carriageway network. The council publishes only RED-condition percentages for U-roads (26.9% in 2024, up from 24.8% in 2023), not full red/amber/green breakdowns. It deploys annual AI-led surveys across the entire U-class network. If your incident was on a U-road, ask whether the council can produce inspection dates, AI defect logs and repair scheduling for your specific street — not just network-wide averages.
The pothole count jumped after a recording change in 2023/24 — can I still cite 34,228?
Yes, with context. The council states that from mid-2023/24 each defect was recorded by actual repair count, not as a single pothole per defect. That inflates 2024/25 figures relative to earlier years. But the pre-change trend is still stark: 6,487 fills in 2022/23 rose to 16,107 in 2023/24 (+148%) before the methodology changed. The council itself plans 30,000–40,000 pothole repairs in 2025/26 — evidence that reactive workload remains structural, not a recording artefact.
What if the council produces AI inspection data for my U-road?
Then they must connect that data to your defect. They need to show the AI survey met their standards, when your road was last captured, whether the defect was absent or below intervention thresholds at inspection, and — if it was reportable — why it was not repaired within stated timeframes. U-road RED condition worsened year-on-year despite AI deployment. If AI captured a defect and the council did not repair it before your incident, that undermines a Section 58 defence.
Does the council being formed in April 2023 really matter?
It can. Westmorland and Furness Council was created through local government reorganisation in April 2023. The transparency report states condition data exists only from that point, and spending figures before 2023/24 are not applicable. For Section 58, the council must show a reasonable inspection and maintenance system was maintained consistently — including continuity of records and standards from predecessor authorities (South Lakeland, Barrow, Eden and others). Gaps in transferred inspection history are arguable weak points.
The council claims 87.99% preventative spending — does that block my claim?
Not automatically. The DfT Spend scorecard is AMBER, with projected 2025/26 capital spend of £33.1m against a DfT allocation of £4.5m. The council classifies nearly 88% of maintenance as preventative — yet it filled 34,228 potholes in 2024/25 and budgets £8.4m for 30,000–40,000 more repairs in 2025/26. Aggregate spend and categorisation do not prove the individual defect on your road was known and repaired within inspection intervals.
How do I report a pothole to Westmorland and Furness Council?
Report street or road damage via the council's online form at westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk, or call the Highways team on 0300 373 3306 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm). Prior reports of the same defect strengthen a claim by demonstrating the council had notice before your incident. Fixtyer searches for existing reports and attaches them to your claim pack.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | Westmorland and Furness Council Local Highways 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 RED; condition AMBER; spend AMBER; 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.