The Council manages highways against a challenging backdrop. In real terms, its funding for highways and roads has fallen by 40% since 2008-09. Those decisions have reduced the Council’s ability to manage its highways network in a sustainable and cost-effective way. The Council’s focus is now risk-based and increasingly reactive rather than preventative. This increases the risk that future road conditions will worsen and costs will rise. 

The Council’s own data shows that its current approach is not sustainable in the longer term. Its risk-based approach has enabled it to maintain the condition of classified roads. But, this has been at the expense of unclassified roads, which make up almost half of the network. The Council’s data shows an increase in the number of unclassified roads in need of urgent work. Across the whole network, the number of reported potholes increased by 456% between 2020 and 2024. Overall, the declining road conditions could have significant implications for residents, businesses and communities who rely on the highways network for access and connectivity.