York: one in four local roads needs maintenance
City of York Council spends nearly triple its DfT capital allocation and earns a GREEN spend scorecard. Yet the overall DfT rating is AMBER because 25% of unclassified roads are in RED condition — more than double the 11% recorded in 2019/20, and worse than neighbouring councils. On a 790km network where 70% of roads are residential U-roads, that is where most pothole damage happens.
What the condition data shows
Five years of survey data from City of York Council's own Highway Condition Report 2025 — classified roads holding up, local streets slipping
A-roads (75km — 9.5% of network): stable
York's A-roads are in good condition with only 2–3% rated as needing maintenance consideration on the latest SCANNER surveys — aligned with regional and England averages. But A-roads are less than one-tenth of the network.
*Council footnote: 2019–2023 A-road data used survey types not comparable with current DfT national indicators.
B and C roads (164km — 21% of network): broadly stable
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019/20 | 16% | 59% | 25% |
| 2020/21 | 18% | 62% | 20% |
| 2023/24 | 4% | 21% | 75% |
| 2024/25 | 4% | 23% | 73% |
B and C roads show only 4% in RED condition — better than the England average of 7%. The council surveys these roads annually and uses the data to develop Highways Annual Maintenance Programmes.
Well funded — but local roads still declining
City of York Council projects spending nearly triple its DfT allocation in 2025/26, with Members approving an extra £5,070k for highways on top. The spend scorecard is GREEN — yet U-road RED condition has risen to 25%. Investment is not keeping pace with deterioration on the roads where most residents actually drive.
The 551km local road problem
70% of York's network is unclassified roads — and condition is worse than neighbouring councils
| Year | U-roads in RED condition |
|---|---|
| 2019/20 | 11% |
| 2020/21 | 12% |
| 2021/22 | 20% |
| 2022/23 | 16% |
| 2023/24 | 19% |
| 2024/25 | 25% |
Worse than the neighbours
City of York Council states plainly that U-road condition “isn't as good as our neighbouring councils” and at 19% in 2023/24 was slightly above both the regional and England average of 17%. The 2024/25 figure has since risen to 25%.
On 551km of U-roads, 25% RED means roughly 138km of local streets should be considered for maintenance — suburban roads, estate streets, village lanes and city-centre side roads.
The council's own response
York is increasing preventative surface treatments across the network with a focus on including more U-roads on each Annual Highway Maintenance Programme. Surface dressing aims to seal roads before cracks become potholes — treatments the council says can last 8 to 10 years when sites are selected effectively.
The question for claimants is whether your road was on that programme — or left in the 25% RED category while awaiting treatment.
Why this matters for Section 58
To rely on the Section 58 defence, City of York Council must show it had a reasonable system for knowing the condition of its roads. For York's unclassified network, ask:
- • Was your residential street in the 25% RED category at the last survey?
- • If so, was it scheduled for surface dressing, resurfacing or reactive repair?
- • Did the council's AI bicycle survey record the defect before your incident?
- • With two thirds of revenue spend going to reactive pothole repairs, why was yours missed?
A council that publishes 25% RED on local roads cannot claim ignorance of widespread deterioration on the road type that makes up 70% of its network.
14,096 job tickets — and 9,074 individual repairs
Two ways of counting the same reactive maintenance conveyor belt
| Year | Pothole job tickets |
|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 3,392 |
| 2021/22 | 3,003 |
| 2022/23 | 3,168 |
| 2023/24 | 2,278 |
| 2024/25 | 2,255 |
| Five-year total | 14,096 |
The AMS revelation
From April 2024, York's new Asset Management System tracks individual potholes separately. In 2024/25 alone, it recorded 9,074 individual pothole repairs — roughly four times the 2,255 job-ticket figure.
Job tickets can include multiple repair areas and defect types. The true volume of reactive pothole work is substantially higher than the headline job-ticket table suggests.
Two thirds of revenue on reactive repairs
City of York Council spends approximately two thirds of its revenue basic maintenance budget on reactive pothole and masonry repairs each year. The council itself describes reactive maintenance as “generally considered to be an inefficient use of resources” — yet defects “will inevitably form” and “very often develop very quickly requiring a reactive response.”
“Defects will inevitably form on parts of the highway network at some point in time and very often these defects will develop very quickly requiring a reactive response.”
— City of York Council — Highway Condition Report 2025
Growth, streetworks and network pressure
York is a growing city — and the council documents what that does to its roads
“York is a vibrant, prosperous and growing city that continues to attract new residents and businesses. However, with growth inevitably come roadworks with the demands on our highway network keeping pace as utilities seek to upgrade existing or install additional assets to serve new infrastructure, often along key busy transport routes.”
— City of York Council — Highway Condition Report 2025
| Streetworks metric (2024/25) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Permit applications submitted | 12,369 |
| Permit applications granted | 7,787 |
| Occupancy days on the network | 11,510 |
| New development sites (incl. Station gateway and York Central) | 27 |
| Major schemes | 368 |
What this admission means
The council acknowledges that construction of new infrastructure creates pressures where “new and old meet” — often requiring significant changes to existing road layouts with associated disruption. That is documented knowledge of elevated wear on specific corridors.
If your pothole was on a route affected by York Central, Station gateway or utility streetworks, the council knew the network was under above-normal stress.
Drainage and climate
York targets £1,000k on drainage in 2025/26 and notes that standing water combined with freeze-thaw and traffic action “can readily turn small defects in road surfaces into potholes.”
The council is already seeing climate impacts — melting road surfaces and subsidence — on its highways network. Known flooding issues the council has prioritised but not yet resolved are relevant to claim evidence.
100% survey coverage — what it actually means
City of York Council's AI bicycle surveys and the AMBER best-practice rating
What works in the council's favour
- ✓ GREEN spend — projects nearly triple DfT capital allocation in 2025/26
- ✓ Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Plan published 2021, aligned with UKRLG guidance
- ✓ AI video surveys claim 100% annual network coverage via bicycle-mounted smartphones
- ✓ A and B/C roads in comparatively good condition (3–4% RED)
- ✓ Defect hot-spot clustering used to prioritise programmes
Expect a documented Section 58 defence on classified roads. Generic claims will struggle.
What works in yours
- ✗ AMBER condition — 25% of U-roads in RED, worse than neighbouring councils
- ✗ U-road RED rate more than doubled since 2019/20 (11% → 25%)
- ✗ 9,074 individual pothole repairs in 2024/25 — defects forming faster than prevention catches them
- ✗ Only 27% of projected 2025/26 spend on preventative maintenance
- ✗ AMBER best practice — not the top tier of DfT asset-management ratings
- ✗ Documented growth and streetworks pressure on the network
The winning strategy here is specificity
Against a council with GREEN spend and a published asset management plan, your claim lives or dies on the specific defect:
- • Prior reports of the same pothole (FixMyStreet, York's online reporting) — proof of actual notice
- • Photos showing the defect's size, depth and visible age (weathered edges, previous patching)
- • Road class — on a U-road, cite the 25% RED rate and whether your street was on the maintenance programme
- • Location relative to York Central, Station gateway or active streetworks permits
- • Whether known drainage issues on your road were on the council's priority list
Mac builds exactly this case: he searches for prior reports, assesses your photo evidence, and cites City of York Council's own transparency data where it helps you.
Report the pothole to York first
City of York Council aims to respond to non-urgent road reports within four working days and urgent reports within two hours. 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 assess and repair it within a reasonable period.
Report a pothole to City of York CouncilVerify the road is adopted using York's online map before reporting. Keep your reference number and any confirmation emails. Out-of-hours emergencies: 01904 551550.
Hit a pothole in York?
A well-funded AMBER 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 streetworks corridor analysis
Professional claim pack
- ✅ 25% U-road RED rate documented
- ✅ 9,074 pothole repairs in 2024/25 cited
- ✅ Prior reports searched and attached
- ✅ Drainage and streetworks context included
- ✅ Section 58 rebuttal tailored to York
No percentage fees. You keep 100% of any compensation.
Frequently asked questions
York spends nearly triple its DfT capital allocation — can I still claim?
Yes. The DfT Spend scorecard is GREEN, but your claim turns on the specific defect and road condition — and York is AMBER overall because unclassified roads are deteriorating. Section 58 depends on whether the pothole that damaged your vehicle was reasonably inspected and repaired, not on aggregate spend figures.
What if my pothole was on a residential or unclassified road?
U-roads make up 551km — 70% of York's 790km road network. City of York Council's own transparency report shows 25% of U-roads in RED condition in 2024/25, up from 11% in 2019/20, and admits U-road condition is worse than neighbouring councils. Most pothole damage in York happens on these local streets.
Does York's claim of 100% annual survey coverage weaken my claim?
Not automatically. The council uses AI video surveys from bicycle-mounted smartphones and says it achieves full-network coverage each year. That can support a Section 58 defence — but only if the survey actually recorded your road and the defect was visible at the time. Prior reports, photos showing defect age, and whether your street was on the annual programme matter more than the headline coverage claim.
Why does the report show 2,255 job tickets but 9,074 pothole repairs?
City of York Council explains that job tickets can cover multiple repair areas and defect types. From April 2024, its new Asset Management System tracks individual potholes separately — revealing 9,074 individual repairs in 2024/25, roughly four times the job-ticket count. The true scale of reactive work is larger than the older headline figures suggest.
Does York's drainage investment help or hurt my claim?
Both, depending on your road. The council targets £1,000k on drainage in 2025/26 and acknowledges standing water turns small defects into potholes. If your road has known flooding issues the council has prioritised but not fixed, that supports a claim. If drainage was recently improved and your pothole formed afterwards, the council may argue it took reasonable steps.
Do streetworks and York Central development affect claim prospects?
Potentially. The council reports 12,369 streetworks permit applications in 2024/25, 27 new development sites including Station gateway and York Central, and notes growth “inevitably” brings roadworks that create pressures where new and old infrastructure meet. Heavy utility and construction traffic accelerates wear — relevant if your incident was on a corridor affected by permitted works.
Is pre-2019/20 condition data comparable?
City of York Council warns that data between 2019 and 2023 for A and B/C roads, and between 2019 and 2022 for U-roads, was collected using survey types that do not produce outputs comparable with current DfT national indicators. For claims, focus on the latest comparable figures — especially the 25% RED U-road rate in 2024/25.
Data sources: Department for Transport — Local Road Maintenance Ratings 2025 to 2026 | City of York Council — Highway Condition Report 2025. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.