The Department for Transport expects all local highways authorities to publish information about their highways maintenance activities to help local taxpayers see the difference that funding is making in their areas.
Our highway network
| Type of Road | Lengths of highway, footways and cycleways (km |
|---|---|
| A Road | 33.31km |
| B and C roads | 47.36km |
| U roads | 326km |
| Total Roads | 406.67km |
| Footways | 453.92km |
| Other Public rights of way | 21.46km |
| Cycleways |
50.46km |
Background regarding the information
The cycle route information might not currently fully reflect what's on the ground. Currently, our gazetteers don't have a complete picture of all cycle routes, with the exception of national cycle routes. Regional (TfL) and local cycle route data are incomplete at this time but this is something the borough is working towards so this caveat would apply.
Regarding the footway lengths data, the total provided represents the linear length of each street and has not been doubled for streets with footpaths on both sides. This is because many footpaths in the relevant dataset are recorded as a single linear length. For clarification where a Public Right of way was listed (that overlapped a street), the corresponding street description has been removed to avoid duplication when this data was put together.
Highways maintenance spending figures
| Year | Capital allocated by DfT (£,000s) | Capital spend (£,000s) | Revenue spend (£,000s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (projected) | £750,000 | TBC | £1,284,300 |
| 2024/25 | £460,000 | TBC | £1,270,167 |
| 2023/24 | £222,000 | TBC | £1,549,915 |
| 2022/23 | £0 | TBC | £1,336,667 |
| 2021/22 | £0 | TBC | £969,483 |
| 2020/21 | £0 | TBC |
£967,656 |
*Note - the Capital Spend column is being clarified if this is total capital spend or capital spend just related to capital allocated by the DfT and will be updated once this point has been clarified.
Additional information on spending
The Highway spending figures above, detail total capital allocated by the DfT for the financial year listed, capital spend for the financial year, and revenue spend for the final year. Tasks that this would have been allocated to include, Planned Maintenance (Resurfacing and Footway reconstruction), Reactive Maintenance will undertake immediate repairs to the Highways network in line with our Section 41 and Section 58 statutory undertakings, we also undertake proactive repairs to ensure we maintain a safe highways for all users. In the most recent financial year, the Council’s Planned Maintenance section resurfaced approximately 8.05km of road, and reconstructed around 2km of footway.
| Year | Estimate of number of potholes filled |
|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 4350 |
| 2022/22 | 3544 |
| 2022/23 | 3544 |
| 2023/24 | 4990 |
| 2024/25 | 5123 |
Condition of local roads
| Percentage of all roads in each condition category (based on the number of roads surveyed each year) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Red | Amber | Green | Number of roads surveyed | |
| 2023 | 10.61% | 30.53% | 58.77% | 1140 | |
| 2024 | 7.38% | 33.04% | 59.58% | 1138 | |
Road condition assessments on the local classified road network in England are currently made predominantly using Surface Condition Assessment for the National Network of Roads (SCANNER) laser-based technology.
The Council at a local level (with the large number of unclassified roads we have within the Council’s Public Highway Boundary) uses a package called RoadAI by a company called Vaisala and this is used to support Officer visual assessments of the condition of a road. The Road AI package provides a third party independent score which the Council uses to assist with compiling its annual Maintenance programmes.
In the context of the numbers above, the Council only started using the RoadAI package to fully help with Officer Assessment, during 2023. During 2023 and 2024, over 85% of the borough's roads were surveyed as part of the annual assessments.
A number of parameters measured in these surveys are used to produce a road condition indicator which is categorised into three condition categories:
- Green – No further investigation or treatment required (above 67%)
- Amber – Maintenance may be required soon (between 34% and 67%)
- Red – Should be considered for maintenance (below 33%)
From 2026/27 a new methodology will be used based on the BSI PAS2161 standard. Local Highway Authorities will be required to use a supplier that has been accredited against PAS2161. This new standard will categorise roads into five categories instead of three to help government gain a more detailed understanding of road conditions in England.
Plans
Overall strategy
During 2024, to improve transparency the Council has put together a Planned Maintenance webpage that details our approach (and some of the factors involved with it) and the programme for the 2025/2026 Financial Year as we get programmed dates from our Contractor. This is backed up by the report that was put together for the Council’s Environment and Sustainable Transport Committee:
See the Council’s Planned Maintenance webpage
The Neighbourhood Committee Reports and appendices
Report
Read the report that went to the Council’s Environment and Sustainable Transport Committee in early 2025 to provide approval for the 2025/2026 Financial Year, programme of works.
Council Environmentand Sustainable Transport Committee Report
Appendices
Reactive Maintenance
In 2024 Highways Reactive Maintenance commenced a trial of a product called Elastomac in the Council’s Highways and Transport Shared Service partner, the Royal Borough of Kingston. This product has proven during the initial trial phase to offer a cost effective and long lasting surface dressing, the product is particularly effective in repairing joints, alligator cracking and general wear and tear and the trial is being extended to cover the London Borough of Sutton.
The product is also significantly better for the environment, eliminating the need for planing and zero waste road material, due to the nature of the material the carriageway can be reopened 30mins after application.
This mitigates against delay and disruption owing to reduced traffic management.
We are pleased to confirm that we have moved beyond the trial phase and are now applying this across the borough.
As of June 2025, we have currently resurfaced 1779m2 in Sutton using Elastomac, with works programmed throughout the remainder of the Financial Year
Streetworks
The Councils Streetworks operations, adheres to a recognised code of practice for all coordination and permitting activities within the borough.
Permit applications are assessed upon their own merit and particular care is given to ensure we minimise clashes and mitigate against delay and disruption to all road users
Using the Nationally recognised DfT Streetworks system, we can identify issues such Section 58s whilst coordinating work activities amongst statutory undertakers and highways teams alike.
Streetworks inspection teams ensure all signing, lighting and guarding is in line with legislation and ensure compliance and safety is embedded across highways and streetworks.
Climate change, resilience and adaptation
The Council in response to the Climate Crisis is looking at various options to meet the demands that this presents. One of the options that we have particular interest in is, lower carbon materials and more sustainable approaches. At the moment whilst we are investigating them, we have concerns about the cost and durability of them in comparison to conventional material based on initial investigations and discussions that have been had. We are however hoping to potentially trial some lower carbon approaches on Planned Maintenance schemes and are considering ways of doing this currently.