Nearly half of English councils see rise in poor-condition major roads, DfT data shows

Data released by the Department for Transport reveals that 45% of England’s councils observed a growth in the length of A roads marked red - a sign of poor surface condition - between the years ending March 2024 and March 2026. Out of 147 authorities providing comparable data, 66 reported this increase, while 53 saw no change and 28 reported a decline. Brighton & Hove topped the list with 17% of its A-road network classified as red, with Nottingham (15%), Brent (14%) and Salford and North Tyneside (13% each) close behind.

Across England, the overall red share for local A roads held steady at 4%, amber edged up to 28%, and green slipped to 68%. B and C roads returned to a 6% red rating, and unclassified roads continued to show a roughly 16% red proportion. The AA’s Luke Bosdet warned that the disparity highlights a split between well-maintained major routes and deteriorating rural and residential streets.