Source
Department for Transport — Local road maintenance ratings 2025 to 2026
greenOverall|amber Conditiongreen Spendgreen Best Practice
16,022 Pothole Repairs in 2024/25 on a Green-Rated County Network
Worcestershire County Council earns GREEN DfT scorecards for overall performance, spend and best practice — yet its condition scorecard is AMBER. The council filled 16,022 potholes in 2024/25, preventative maintenance share fell from 10% to a projected 8%, and 22% of U-roads (455km) were in red condition at the last CVI survey. Section 58 still turns on your specific defect.
£52.6m
Projected capital spend 2025/26
Against a DfT capital allocation of £29.6m — nearly 1.8× the grant — while preventative share is projected at 8% and the council still plans circa 16,000 pothole repairs this year.
4,101km of Roads — Half Unclassified
Network scale from Worcestershire's June 2025 transparency report — where pothole claims actually happen
4,101km
Total carriageway
2,069km
Unclassified (U) roads
50.5% of the network
1,457km
B and C roads
575km
A roads
Motorways and A46 maintained by National Highways
| Asset | Scale |
|---|---|
| Footways | 3,347km |
| Cycleways | 1,805km |
| Public rights of way | 4,630km |
| Bridges and structures | 1,462 structures |
| Street lighting columns | 55,068 |
“The highway network in Worcestershire is managed with a careful balance between carrying out long-term preventative maintenance repairs and reactive repairs. Reactive repairs are often necessary for safety and other reasons, but like many other authorities, we carry out a risk and databased asset management approach to reduce the need for short-term reactive work.”
— Worcestershire County Council Local Highway Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
What AMBER Condition Actually Shows
SCANNER surveys on classified roads — CVI visual surveys on U-roads where most claims start
Methodology caveat: A and B/C roads are surveyed annually using SCANNER technology. U-road data is derived from CVI (Coarse Visual Inspection) surveys, taking into account wearing course, structural and edge deterioration — a different method from the laser surveys used on classified roads. The council also considers reported defects, complaints, third-party claims and public satisfaction when assessing network condition.
A roads (575km) — annual SCANNER surveys
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3% | 24% | 73% |
| 2023 | 3% | 23% | 74% |
| 2024 | 4% | 29% | 67% |
A-road green condition fell from 74% in 2023 to 67% in 2024 — a seven-point drop in one year, with amber rising to 29%. Principal roads are a minority of the network, but the deterioration trend is documented in the council's own SCANNER data.
B and C roads (1,457km) — annual SCANNER surveys
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4% | 28% | 68% |
| 2022 | 4% | 25% | 71% |
| 2024 | 4% | 25% | 71% |
B/C roads have held at 71% green since 2022 — stronger than A-roads. Classified roads total 2,032km (49.5% of the carriageway network).
Unclassified roads (2,069km) — where most claims start
| Year | Red |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 19% |
| 2022 | 20% |
| 2023 | 24% |
| 2024 | 22% |
At 22% red condition in 2024, roughly 455km of Worcestershire's residential network requires maintenance — up from 19% in 2021. The transparency report publishes red percentages for U-roads via CVI survey; amber and green breakdowns are not separately tabulated in the published report.
“U Road data is derived from CVI condition Surveys (Coarse Visual Surveys), taking into account wearing course, structural and edge deterioration.”
— Worcestershire County Council Local Highway Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
Following the Money
GREEN spend — but preventative share projected at 8% for 2025/26
| Year | DfT capital (£000s) | Capital spend (£000s) | Revenue spend (£000s) | Preventative | Reactive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (proj.) | 29,571 | 52,647 | 9,465 | 8% | 3% |
| 2024/25 | 21,121 | 50,495 | 8,286 | 9% | 3% |
| 2023/24 | 24,452 | 50,111 | 7,521 | 9% | 3% |
| 2022/23 | 18,738 | 42,904 | 7,606 | 10% | 4% |
| 2021/22 | 18,738 | 44,329 | 6,921 | 10% | 4% |
Why spend is GREEN
Capital spend has risen from £42.9m in 2022/23 to a projected £52.6m in 2025/26, while the council consistently invests well beyond its DfT capital allocation. Total 2024/25 maintenance spend (capital plus revenue) reached approximately £58.8m — nearly 2.8× the DfT grant alone.
Why claims still happen
Despite substantial investment, preventative maintenance share has fallen from 10% to a projected 8% while pothole fills rose to 16,022 in 2024/25. The council states prevention is more cost-effective than reactive work — yet the budget mix has shifted the other way. Spend volume does not prove every defect was caught within inspection intervals.
Rising Pothole Repair Counts
Estimated potholes filled — from Worcestershire's June 2025 transparency report
| Year | Potholes filled | Change vs 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 15,877 | — |
| 2021/22 | 14,445 | −5.9% |
| 2022/23 | 13,622 | Baseline |
| 2023/24 | 15,557 | +14.2% |
| 2024/25 | 16,022 | +17.6% |
| 2025/26 (planned) | ~16,000 | Council estimate |
“Where possible repairs to potholes are repaired to the highest standard by cutting it out and using a patch. Over 75% of identified potholes are repaired like this.”
— Worcestershire County Council Local Highway Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
Nearly 44 repairs a day
16,022 pothole repairs in 2024/25 works out to roughly 44 per day across 4,101km. A green-rated county still producing that volume of safety-critical defects is one where individual potholes routinely form between inspections — especially on U-roads assessed by CVI rather than SCANNER.
The Prevention Paradox
The council acknowledges prevention works — yet preventative share has declined
“Proactive preventative measures are more cost-effective and less disruptive to highway users than reactive repairs. Road surfaces and structures are maintained routinely in good condition to prevent major deterioration and the formation of potholes, which are costly and disruptive to fix.”
— Worcestershire County Council Local Highway Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
Since 2021, Worcestershire has surface-dressed over 800km of carriageways as preventative maintenance. In the last five years it has resurfaced 221km of carriageways and reconstructed 263km of footways. Yet estimated preventative maintenance share fell from 10% (2021/22) to a projected 8% (2025/26), while pothole fills rose 17.6% from the 2022/23 low. The council plans to surface-dress approximately 200km and resurface 80km in 2025/26 — against a 4,101km network.
Inspections, Surveys and Section 58
How Worcestershire says it knows the condition of its network — and where gaps appear
Survey frequency
- • A roads: annual SCANNER surveys via contractor
- • B and C roads: annual SCANNER surveys via contractor
- • U roads: annual CVI (Coarse Visual Inspection) surveys
- • Bridges: circa 1,000 bridge inspections planned for 2025/26
- • Works programmes: planned up to three years in advance on a rolling basis
Safety inspections
The council uses a risk-based approach where inspection frequency is determined by asset type. Safety inspections identify and remedy safety defects; condition surveys assess network-level performance; and reported defects from the public feed into maintenance decisions.
The public can report issues online — engineers see reports in real time and post updates via a software interface linked to the council's defect database.
Section 41 vs Section 58
Under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, Worcestershire 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 green DfT scorecards.
- • Was your road on the annual CVI U-road survey cycle — and had deterioration been recorded?
- • Did the defect meet intervention criteria during routine safety inspections?
- • Were there prior reports (council portal, FixMyStreet) giving actual notice?
- • Does photographic evidence show defect age beyond the inspection interval?
“We also take into consideration other key factors such as number of reported defects, complaints, third-party claims, public satisfaction and road traffic accident data.”
— Worcestershire County Council Local Highway Maintenance Transparency Report (June 2025)
Planned Work 2025/26
What Worcestershire says it will deliver this financial year
80km
Carriageway resurfacing
200km
Surface dressing
70km
Footway reconstruction
~16,000
Potholes planned
Part of ~30,000 total defects
Coverage maths
Even at 80km resurfacing plus 200km surface dressing, Worcestershire would treat roughly 6.8% of its 4,101km carriageway network in a single year. The remaining 93%+ relies on reactive patching, routine inspections and annual condition surveys to catch deterioration — on a network where 22% of U-roads were already in red condition at the last CVI survey.
Claiming Against a Green-Rated County
Honest assessment: Worcestershire is not Waltham Forest — here is how that changes your approach
What works in the council's favour
- ✓ GREEN overall, spend and best-practice DfT ratings
- ✓ Capital spend ~2.5× DfT allocation (£50.5m vs £21.1m in 2024/25)
- ✓ B/C roads at 71% green condition; over 75% of potholes get cut-and-patch repairs
- ✓ Annual SCANNER surveys on classified roads; risk-based asset management via Ringway contract
- ✓ 800+ km surface-dressed since 2021 as preventative maintenance
Expect a well-prepared Section 58 defence. Generic “council neglect” arguments will not land.
What works in yours
- ✗ AMBER condition scorecard from DfT
- ✗ 2,069km of U-roads — 50.5% of network — assessed by CVI not SCANNER
- ✗ U-road red condition at 22% (455km) in 2024; up from 19% in 2021
- ✗ A-road green condition fell from 74% to 67% in one year
- ✗ 16,022 pothole repairs in 2024/25 — up 17.6% from 2022/23
- ✗ Preventative share fell from 10% to projected 8% despite council stating prevention is more effective
The winning strategy here is specificity
Against a county with GREEN scorecards and £52m capital budgets, your claim lives or dies on the specific defect:
- • Prior reports of the same pothole — proof of actual notice beyond network surveys
- • Photos showing defect size, depth and age (weathered edges, previous patching)
- • Road class — on a U-road, the CVI survey gap and 22% red condition are your strongest structural arguments
- • Whether a temporary repair failed — the council admits up to 25% of potholes may not get permanent cut-and-patch treatment
Mac builds exactly this case: prior-report search, photo assessment, and citations from Worcestershire's own transparency data where it helps you — without pretending the council is failing overall.
Report a Pothole to Worcestershire County 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. For highways emergencies outside office hours, call 01905 822822.
Report a road or path issue — worcestershire.gov.ukHit a Pothole in Worcestershire?
A green-rated county demands a precise claim. £35 for a professional claim pack.
DIY claim
- • Submit photos and invoices
- • Use generic template letter
- • No CVI U-road survey-gap argument
- • No prior-report search
- • No prevention-decline context
Professional claim pack
- ✅ U-road red condition (455km) documented
- ✅ AMBER condition scorecard cited
- ✅ 16,022 pothole repairs in 2024/25 referenced
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to Worcestershire
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently asked questions
Does Worcestershire's GREEN overall DfT rating mean I cannot claim?
No. GREEN overall means Worcestershire performs well on aggregate spend, best practice and much of its maintenance programme — but Section 58 turns on whether the specific defect that damaged your vehicle was reasonably inspected and repaired. The condition scorecard is AMBER, U-roads are assessed by CVI visual survey rather than SCANNER, and the council still filled 16,022 potholes in 2024/25 while preventative spend fell from 10% to a projected 8%.
Why is the DfT condition scorecard AMBER when overall is GREEN?
The Department for Transport rates Worcestershire GREEN overall with GREEN spend and best-practice scorecards, but AMBER on condition. The council's own 2024 data shows A-road green condition falling from 74% to 67% in one year, and 22% of U-roads in red condition — roughly 455km of residential network. Aggregate scorecards do not prove the individual pothole on your street was known and repaired within inspection intervals.
What if my pothole was on a residential or unclassified road?
Unclassified roads make up 2,069km — 50.5% of Worcestershire's 4,101km carriageway network. The council assesses U-roads using CVI (Coarse Visual Inspection) surveys annually, not the SCANNER technology used on A and B/C roads. At the 2024 survey, 22% of U-roads were in red condition. CVI data may not capture defects as precisely as laser surveys — and most pothole damage happens on these residential roads.
Prevention spending fell from 10% to 8% — does that matter for my claim?
It can provide context. Worcestershire's transparency report states that "proactive preventative measures are more cost-effective and less disruptive than reactive repairs", yet estimated preventative maintenance share fell from 10% in 2021/22 to a projected 8% in 2025/26 — a 20% relative decline. Pothole fills meanwhile rose from 13,622 in 2022/23 to 16,022 in 2024/25. That pattern does not excuse a specific unrepaired defect, but it shows reactive workload persisting alongside declining prevention share.
The council says over 75% of potholes get permanent cut-and-patch repairs — what about the rest?
The transparency report states that "over 75% of identified potholes are repaired" by cutting out and patching. That means up to a quarter may receive lower-standard temporary repairs. If your vehicle was damaged by a defect that had been previously patched, or by a temporary repair that failed, the council's own admission about repair standards becomes relevant evidence alongside photos and prior reports.
Worcestershire spends more than double its DfT capital allocation — does that block my claim?
Not automatically. In 2024/25 the council spent £50.5m capital against a DfT allocation of £21.1m — earning a GREEN spend scorecard. Projected 2025/26 capital spend is £52.6m against £29.6m DfT allocation. Section 58 requires proof that the specific defect was reasonably inspected and repaired, not proof of aggregate budget size. Prior reports, photos showing defect age, and your road's place in the council's survey regime matter more than headline spend.
How do I report a pothole to Worcestershire County Council?
Report road and path issues via Worcestershire's online portal at worcestershire.gov.uk — choose "Pothole or damage to road or pavement surface". For highways emergencies outside office hours, call 01905 822822. 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 | Worcestershire County 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 GREEN; condition AMBER; spend GREEN; best practice GREEN.
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.