Three London councils have been rated red in a new government performance system for road maintenance, whilst the majority received amber ratings indicating room for improvement.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced the traffic light rating scheme alongside a £300 million funding increase for road repairs in London. The system assesses councils’ performance during 2025-2026 on road condition, preventative planning and investment in broader road maintenance.
Greenwich, Kensington and Chelsea, and Waltham Forest received red ratings for falling short in these areas. Hillingdon and Lewisham were awarded green ratings for prioritising long-term repairs and maintaining high road standards. The remaining 30 London highway authorities, including Transport for London, received amber ratings, indicating some success but requiring improvement.
Ms Alexander stated: “For too long, drivers in London have paid the price because our roads were left to deteriorate. I have heard time and again their frustration on footing the bill because they hit a pothole, money they should never have to spend in the first place.”
She added: “We’ve put our money where our mouth is, increasing the funding in London with £300 million to fix roads and given them the long-term certainty they have been asking for.”
The government will offer £300,000 in professional planning advice and peer reviews from industry experts to support red-rated councils. A portion of funding will be withheld from councils until they publish transparency reports and demonstrate adherence to best practice.
Edmund King, AA president and a founding member of the Pothole Partnership, welcomed the initiative. “We welcome this Government initiative to hold local highways authorities to account which should help to promote the Pothole Partnership objective of more proactive and permanent repairs,” he said.
The scheme forms part of wider government efforts to encourage councils to prioritise long-term, cost-effective solutions over short-term patching. The new public rating system accompanies what the government describes as record investment in London’s roads.
