Buckinghamshire given amber rating in new potholes traffic light system rating local authorities
Buckinghamshire has been given an amber rating in a new potholes traffic light system, rating local authorities on how effective they are at fixing roads.
The rating system, published by the Government on the eve of National Pothole Day, grades authorities across the country based on current road conditions and how effectively they spend Government funding allocated to fix potholes and invest in long-term measures to maintain roads.
Bucks was one of 125 local highway authorities given an amber rating, with 16 given the top rating of green and 13 the worst rating of red.
Bucks received amber ratings for both overall rating and condition scorecard, and green for both the spend scorecard and wider best practice scorecard categories.
According to Buckinghamshire Council’s local highways maintenance transparency report the authority is projected to spend just over £20,000 in the 2025/2026 financial year on highway maintenance.
Just over 81 per cent is expected to be spent on preventative maintenance, compared to just under 19 per cent on reactive maintenance.
The report adds that 50 per cent of the county’s capital spend is typically used to resurface roads.
Buckinghamshire Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for transport Thomas Broom said: “We are investing a record amount of money into Buckinghamshire’s road network.
“Our budget plans include a total £220 million committed to the highways and associated infrastructure.
“We have made great strides in the last twelve months under our existing rolling £120 million specifically for roads maintenance and improvements and we will deliver over 330 improvement schemes on our highway network this year alone, including 218 road resurfacing projects.
“This is as well as making further progress on the new South East Aylesbury Link Road. It is good to see that the Government recognises the effectiveness of our strategy to improve the quality of the road network and the significant level of financial commitment that this council has prioritised to improve our roads.
“Overall, Buckinghamshire Council is committed to delivering safe, high-quality roads across its 2,100 miles network (roughly the same distance as driving from London to Athens).
“The recent data published in our Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report shows continued improvement in road conditions in Bucks, with the majority of A, B, and C roads rated in good health.
“Buckinghamshire Council follows national best practice and leads in innovation - using AI to support our inspection data, sustainable materials, and collaborative partnerships to deliver efficient, future-ready highways.
“Our commitment is clear: sustained investment, continuous improvement, and excellence in managing one of the county’s most vital assets.
“We will continue to invest as much funding as possible into maintaining and improving the highway network, ensuring every available resource is used to deliver better, safer roads for our communities.”
Reacting to the ratings the RAC’s head of policy Simon Williams said: “These new ratings are a positive move that will help drivers understand how councils are performing when it comes to improving the state of local roads.
“While there are examples of good road maintenance practice taking place, this isn’t consistent across the country and means drivers have for too long been left with substandard roads.
“We hope this initiative, plus the promise of longer-term funding for councils to allow them to plan and carry out much-needed preventative maintenance, means we’re finally on the way to having smoother, better roads."
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