On National Pothole Day (15 January), Worcestershire County Council is highlighting ongoing work to maintain and improve the county’s road network, while recognising that defects such as potholes remain one of the most visible and frustrating issues for residents, businesses and road users.
Earlier this week, the Department for Transport (DfT) published a new national assessment of local highway maintenance, alongside an interactive mapping tool and traffic-light rating system. This new assessment provides transparency about how local authorities manage and maintain their road networks.
Worcestershire County Council received an overall Green rating under this framework, reflecting a balanced assessment based on road condition, levels of investment and the extent to which councils follow recognised best practice.
The DfT has also recently confirmed Worcestershire’s highways maintenance capital allocation for the next four years, replacing the previous one-year settlement. This longer-term funding framework is intended to support a more planned approach to maintaining local road networks and to encourage preventative maintenance over time, including measures such as surface dressing and timely repairs that help reduce the risk of potholes developing.
Councillor Karl Perks, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at Worcestershire County Council, said: “The condition of our road network has a real impact on everyday life for residents, businesses and visitors, which is why, how we manage and maintain it matters.
Receiving an overall Green rating in this new national assessment reflects the way Worcestershire’s highways network is planned and managed, taking a balanced, risk-based approach to maintenance. While there is clearly more work to do, it provides reassurance that our approach is aligned with recognised best practice.
We also welcome the Department for Transport’s move to a four-year funding settlement, which gives our highways teams greater certainty to develop longer-term maintenance plans and focus on preventative work that helps improve the resilience of the network over time.”
As a reminder, residents can report potholes or damage to road or pavement surfaces on the Reporting Pothole pages of our website.
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