England councils get traffic‑light road repair ratings

From 11 January 2026, you can see how well your council is fixing local roads. The Department for Transport (DfT) has published a traffic‑light score for all 154 local highway authorities in England, alongside an interactive map you can search by place. It’s designed to help you compare areas, understand where money is going, and ask better questions locally.

When people say “the council”, the formal term here is local highway authority (LHA). This is the body responsible for most local roads, pavements and bridges in your area. In counties and many towns it’s the county or unitary council; in metropolitan areas it’s often the local authority. National Highways looks after motorways and some major A‑roads, which are not part of this rating.

Each LHA is graded red, amber or green. The DfT bases the score on three things: how good the current road condition is, how much the authority is investing in repairs and maintenance, and whether it follows recognised best practice such as planning preventative works rather than relying on short‑term patching.

A green rating signals strong plans, significant investment and solid road condition today. Leeds, Sandwell and Manchester are among those rated green. Amber areas show progress with gaps to close. Red means an authority is not yet meeting expectations in one or more areas, whether that’s the state of the roads, the strength of its prevention plan or the level of wider investment.

The ratings sit alongside a record multi‑year £7.3 billion funding package announced at the Budget to help councils shift from reactive pothole filling to longer‑lasting resurfacing and drainage work. According to the RAC, the average repair bill after hitting a pothole is around £320, with some drivers paying more than £1,000 last year, so preventing damage matters to your wallet as well as your safety.

To boost accountability, the DfT linked part of this year’s uplift to transparency. A quarter of the £500 million uplift was held back until councils published reports showing how they meet best practice. Those that filed successfully saw £125 million released at the end of 2025. Future allocations will be tied to performance so residents can see value for money.

Authorities currently rated red will get hands‑on help. The government has set aside around £300,000 for expert planning and capability support, including peer reviews by sector specialists to improve processes and prioritise prevention. The aim is practical improvement that residents notice on the ground.

There’s also an innovation boost. The government is extending the Live Labs 2 programme for another year, offering up to £300,000 to help councils adopt longer‑lasting, lower‑carbon materials and smarter maintenance techniques. Done well, that means fewer repeat repairs, less disruption and lower emissions.

Here’s how to get the most from the DfT map. Search for your area and open the entry for your local highway authority. Note the colour, then read any summary and follow through to the authority’s transparency report if available. Look for a preventive maintenance plan, clear timelines, data on current road condition and how progress will be measured.

This ratings launch arrives in the same week the government set out the first Road Safety Strategy in more than a decade, with actions on drink‑driving, improved training for young drivers and mandatory eye tests for older motorists. It’s a reminder that safer, smoother roads benefit everyone-people walking, wheeling, cycling and driving.

You can help locally. Report potholes via your council’s website and include photos and exact locations. If damage occurs, keep a simple record. If you’re a student or teacher, use the map in class to practise reading public data and to draft constructive questions for councillors or the highways team about plans and timeframes.

Motoring and cycling groups are supportive. The AA says fixing potholes is the top transport priority for its members. British Cycling emphasises that a single pothole can cause a serious crash, so a smooth surface is essential for rider safety. The RAC argues that clearer ratings plus multi‑year funding should lead to more preventative maintenance and, ultimately, better roads.

Read the data with care. Weather, historic budgets, network size and local geography all shape results. A green area may still have hot‑spots; a red area may already be improving. What matters now is whether plans are credible, funded and focused on prevention-and whether the direction of travel improves in the next updates.

If your area is green, ask how success will be sustained and shared. If it’s amber or red, ask for the timetable to improve and how decisions will prioritise longer‑term resurfacing over quick fixes. The DfT wants these ratings to make progress visible so you can hold decision‑makers to account and, together, keep streets safer and smoother.