Councils in England must now show they are doing more to repair potholes and future-proof local roads under new government reporting requirements issued on 9 June 2026.
For the first time, councils will have to demonstrate publicly how effectively they repair roads and what they are doing to prevent repeat visits to the same stretches of asphalt. The aim is to encourage long-term maintenance, including full road resurfacing and pothole prevention, rather than short-term patch fixes.
When the transparency reports are published in September 2026, people across England will be able to see how well their council is tackling potholes and how many local roads are due for resurfacing.
The guidance will be used to update the government’s red, amber and green (RAG) ratings, which were first published earlier this year. These ratings show the progress councils have made in improving road maintenance.
Green-rated local authorities have shown they are following best practice, such as investing in long-term pothole prevention and full road resurfacing instead of relying on patch repairs.
Councils that fail to follow the new guidance or publish their reports on time will have almost a third of this year’s funding held back, reinforcing the requirement to be transparent with taxpayers.
Pothole-related vehicle damage costs drivers an average of £500. The government says the new requirements should lead to safer, smoother journeys and help motorists avoid unnecessary repair bills. The financial impact is also felt by emergency services and organ donation charities, some of which spend thousands of pounds each year repairing life-saving vehicles damaged by poor road conditions.
All red-rated councils are receiving additional government support, including a total of £300,000 in expert help to raise standards and fix more roads.
The guidance was developed with local authorities and sector leaders, including input from the Local Councils Roads Innovation Group and the UK Roads Leadership Group Asset Management Board.
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