UK Government Imposes New Road-Repair Reporting Rules on Councils from June 9, Withholding Up to £524m for Non-Compliance

New Government rules requiring councils to provide evidence of pothole repairs and road future-proofing took effect on June 9, 2026. Councils must publicly demonstrate how well they are repairing roads for the first time under the new reporting requirements. Transparency reports on council road repair performance will be published in September 2026.

3 billion in long-term road funding to help councils. Guidance to update the red, amber and green ratings for local highway authorities will be published later in 2026. The red, amber and green ratings for 154 local highway authorities were first unveiled in January 2026.

Thirteen local highway authorities were ranked as red for road maintenance. Bolton, Derbyshire, Greenwich, Leicestershire and Suffolk were ranked as red. Red-rated authorities were judged as not yet meeting expected standards based on the current state of roads, future plans and further investment.

Coventry, Essex, Leeds, Manchester and Worcestershire were ranked as green. Simon Lightwood, Roads and Buses Minister, said: "For too long, motorists have been left incensed by short-term work being prioritised over genuine long-term repairs.

Councils that fail to publish their reports on time will have almost a third of the year's Government funding held back. 6 billion unless strict requirements are met. All red-rated local authorities were given additional support including a £300,000 investment in expert help.

Pothole-related repairs cost an average of £500. " Simon Williams said: "The poor state of Britain's roads is drivers' biggest gripe, so it's good to see a new approach being taken. " Kerry Winstanley, MD of the Local Council Roads Innovation Group, said the new guidance would help ensure councils make better decisions and support long-term solutions.