Our highway network

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is responsible for maintaining and managing the local highway network to keep the city moving safely and efficiently.

• We look after over 1,000km of roads and footpaths, ensuring they are safe and well-maintained for all users, whether walking, cycling, or driving.
• Our team maintains around 40,000 streetlights, helping to keep streets well-lit and safe at night.
• We also manage over 240km of public rights of way (PROW), including footpaths and bridleways, making it easier for people to enjoy walking and outdoor spaces.
• The city’s road network includes over 282 sets of traffic signals and pedestrian crossings, which we monitor and maintain to keep traffic flowing smoothly and pedestrians safe.

In addition to roads, lights, and signals, we also look after key highway structures such as bridges and retaining walls, ensuring they remain safe and fit for purpose.

While we manage most roads in the city, some major routes (such as motorways and some A roads) are maintained by National Highways rather than the council. Private roads and some unadopted streets may also not be under our control.

We are committed to keeping Stoke-on-Trent’s highways safe, efficient, and accessible for all road users. If you have any concerns or need to report an issue, you can do so via our website.

Lengths of highway, footways and cycleways (km)

A Road	B and C roads	U roads	Total Roads	Footways	Other Public rights of way
97.7km	30.67km	864.63km	993km	1127km	242.8km

 

Highways maintenance spending figures

Highway maintenance spending

Year	Capital allocated by DfT (£,000s)	Capital spend (£,000s)	Revenue spend (£,000s)	Estimate of % spent on preventative maintenance	Estimate of % spent on reactive maintenance
2025/26 (projected)	£4,697	£9,679	£1,848	35.99%**	19%**
2024/25	£3,350	£9,072	£1,960	34.62%	21%
2023/24	£3,878	£12,255	£2,102	26.65%	17%
2022/23	£4,651	£13,847	£2,193	26.24%	16%
2021/22	£4,651	£14,039	£1,911	21.16%	13%
2020/21	£5,695	£12,155	£1,492	24.87%	12%

**The table above shows the proportion of the overall capital budget allocated to preventative treatments and routine maintenance activities, the remainder is spent on other resurfacing and highways projects

Additional information on spending

Keeping Stoke-on-Trent’s roads safe and well-maintained is a key priority. The money we spend on highways comes from two main sources: capital funding (for major improvements and long-term repairs) and revenue funding (for day-to-day maintenance and urgent repairs).

 

Capital Expenditure – Investing in the Future

Capital funding is used for long-term improvements to our roads, pavements, and structures. This includes:

• Resurfacing roads and footpaths – We aim to rehabilitate around 50 miles of highway each year to improve durability and safety.
• Maintaining bridges and structures – We manage and repair key structures such as bridges, retaining walls, and drainage systems. This year, we plan to maintain 4 structures to ensure their long-term stability.
• Upgrading traffic signals and streetlights – We replace outdated traffic signals and install energy-efficient LED streetlights to improve safety and reduce energy costs.

 

Revenue Expenditure – Day-to-Day Maintenance

Revenue funding covers regular maintenance and urgent repairs. This includes:

• Pothole repairs – Over the last five years, we have filled an average of 3209 potholes per year. This accounts for around 18% of our overall reactive maintenance budget.
• Gully and drainage maintenance – Keeping drains clear to prevent flooding on roads.
• Street furniture repairs – Fixing broken benches and bins to keep streets safe.
• Winter gritting – Ensuring key routes are safe in icy conditions.

 

Preventative vs Reactive Maintenance – A ‘Prevention is Better than Cure’ Approach

Preventative maintenance is the best way to avoid costly and disruptive emergency repairs in the future. That’s why we aim to spend on average 30% of our budget on preventative treatments. This includes surface dressing, slurry seal and micro-asphalting, which help extend the life of roads and footpaths before major repairs are needed.

However, we also have to react quickly to urgent issues such as potholes and damaged road surfaces. Our teams regularly inspect the network, and we prioritise repairs based on risk and safety concerns.

We are working hard to shift more funding towards preventative maintenance to improve road conditions and reduce the need for reactive repairs in the future. By investing in long-term solutions, we aim to keep Stoke-on-Trent’s roads in better condition, saving money and reducing disruption for residents and businesses.

 

 

 

 

Estimate of number of potholes filled

 

 

Condition of local roads

Percentage of A roads in each condition category

Year	Red	Amber	Green
2020	6%	29%	65%
2021	7%	36 %	57%
2022	3%	22%	75%
2023	3%	21%	76%
2024	2%	22%	76%

 

Percentage of B and C roads in each condition category

Year	Red	Amber	Green
2020	9%	50%	41%
2021	9%	31 %	60%
2022	6%	24%	70%
2023	3%	21%	76%
2024	3.5%	25%	71.5%

We use Surface Condition Assessment for the National Network of Roads (SCANNER) surveys annually to assess the condition of classified roads (A, B, and C roads). These laser-based surveys measure various road defects, including cracking, rutting, and surface texture. Roads are then classified into three categories:

Green – No further investigation or treatment required.

Amber – Maintenance may be required soon.

Red – Should be considered for maintenance.

For unclassified roads (U-roads), which make up a large portion of our network, we conduct regular visual inspections to assess their state.

From 2026/27, the government will introduce PAS2161, a new national standard for road condition monitoring. This will provide a more detailed five-category classification, improving the accuracy of data and allowing better decision-making. Stoke-on-Trent is preparing for this change by investing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) inspections, which will enhance our ability to monitor road condition and collect asset data more efficiently.

Over recent years, we have focused on preventative maintenance to slow deterioration and extend the life of our roads. However, like many areas, increasing traffic, extreme weather, and funding pressures have impacted road condition.

Our Approach to Road Maintenance and Improvements

We are committed to improving the condition of our roads by:

Introducing AI-powered inspections to collect real-time data and improve decision-making.

• Investing in preventative maintenance to reduce the need for costly reactive repairs.
• Targeting high-priority routes to keep the city’s transport network running smoothly.
• Using condition data to prioritise spending and ensure the best value for money.

 

With new technologies like AI inspections and aligning to PAS2161, we aim to provide a more accurate and efficient approach to road condition monitoring, ensuring that Stoke-on-Trent’s roads remain safe and well-maintained for years to come

 

Further details are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/road-condition-statistics-data-tables-rdc#condition-of-local-authority-managed-roads-rdc01

Our Plans

Overall strategy

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is responsible for maintaining over 1,000km of roads and footpaths, 40,000 streetlights, 200km of public rights of way, over 40,000 gullys and more than 200 sets of signals. Our approach to highway maintenance is based on asset management principles, ensuring that funding is targeted where it delivers the most benefit.

We prioritise preventative maintenance, investing on average 30% of our budget in treatments that extend road life and reduce the need for costly reactive repairs. This includes surface dressing, micro-asphalting, and resurfacing key routes before they deteriorate further. However, we also recognise the need for effective reactive maintenance, and we use data-driven approaches to address potholes and defects as efficiently as possible.

By integrating new technology, such as AI-powered inspections, we are improving the accuracy of our road condition data. This allows us to make better-informed decisions about where and when to intervene, ensuring that our limited resources are used effectively.

Innovation, Efficiency, and Best Practice

We are committed to adopting new technologies and sustainable methods to improve efficiency and reduce our environmental impact. Key initiatives include:

• AI-powered condition surveys – We are moving towards real-time AI-based inspections to provide a more accurate understanding of road conditions, reducing the reliance on traditional surveys.
• Use of Warm Mix Asphalt – We are adopting lower-temperature asphalt, which cuts carbon emissions by up to 15%, improves durability, and allows roads to be reopened faster.
• We are pioneering the use of Cold Lay Foammix for base and binder layers in our inlay resurfacing works, incorporating 100% recycled materials to enhance sustainability, reduce carbon emissions, and promote a circular economy in highway maintenance.
• Pothole Pro Machine – This innovative machine enables our teams to repair potholes three times faster than traditional methods, significantly improving efficiency.
• Asphalt Preservation – We are introducing asphalt preservation treatments earlier in the asset lifecycle to extend road life and protect surfaces from extreme weather conditions, reducing the need for energy-intensive resurfacing.
• We are trialling an innovative new approach to highway maintenance by developing, in collaboration with our supply chain, a multi-functional machine that addresses the three most common resident concerns gully cleansing, pothole repairs, and road marking restoration in a single operation. This integrated solution reduces network disruption, lowers carbon emissions, and improves efficiency by enabling one gang to tackle multiple issues at once.

 

By combining cutting-edge technology, preventative maintenance, and sustainable materials, we are ensuring that Stoke-on-Trent’s highways remain safe, resilient, and fit for the future.

 

Specific plans for 2025/26

In 2025/26, Stoke-on-Trent City Council will continue its commitment to improving and maintaining the local highway network, ensuring safer and more reliable roads for residents, businesses, and visitors. Our planned works will focus on a balanced approach between preventative and reactive maintenance, with an increasing emphasis on long-term solutions to reduce future repairs.

Key Planned Works:

• Carriageway Resurfacing & Rehabilitation – We aim to rehabilitate approximately 50 miles of highway, targeting not only roads in the greatest need of improvement, but also by applying preventative treatments we can arrest the deterioration of roads with remaining service life
• Footway Improvements – A number of footways across the city will be resurfaced and improved to enhance accessibility and safety.
• Defect Repairs & Pothole Filling – We estimate that we will repair around 13,000 defects, ensuring a more resilient and smoother road network.
• Structural Maintenance – Key structures across the city will undergo necessary repairs to maintain their integrity and extend their lifespan.

Our preventative treatments will account for around 35% of the budget, focusing on measures such as surface dressing and micro-asphalting to extend the life of roads before major repairs are required. The remaining budget will be used for reactive maintenance, addressing defects and urgent repairs across the network.

Streetworks

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is committed to reducing disruption caused by streetworks while ensuring that essential maintenance and utility works are carried out efficiently. We actively manage and coordinate works across the network to minimise delays for residents, businesses, and road users.

Key Measures to Reduce Disruption

Enhanced Coordination of Works – We work closely with utility companies and contractors to ensure that works are planned and coordinated effectively, reducing the need for repeated road closures.

• Use of Street Manager – We utilise Street Manager, a national digital system, to track and manage streetworks in real time, allowing for better planning and monitoring of activity on the network.
• Lane Rental Scheme – We are planning to introduce a Lane Rental Scheme, which will encourage utility companies and contractors to complete works more efficiently by charging for the time they occupy busy roads. This will help reduce prolonged disruption and incentivise off-peak working.
• Permit Scheme Enforcement – We operate a permit scheme, ensuring that works are scheduled appropriately and meet strict conditions. Non-compliance can result in financial penalties.
• Better Public Communication – We provide regular updates on roadworks through social media, our website, and digital road signage to keep residents and businesses informed.

By adopting innovative planning tools and implementing Lane Rental, we aim to further improve the efficiency of streetworks and reduce congestion across the city.

Climate change, resilience and adaptation

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is committed to reducing the environmental impact of our highway maintenance operations while ensuring our network is resilient to the effects of climate change.

 

Decarbonising Highway Maintenance

• Use of Warm Mix Asphalt – We are transitioning to warm mix asphalt, which requires lower production temperatures, reducing carbon emissions by up to 15% compared to traditional hot mix asphalt.
• Maximising Recycling – We are increasing the use of recycled materials in resurfacing projects, including reusing old road surface materials within new asphalt mixes.
• Efficient Equipment – The Pothole Pro and other modern machinery allow us to complete repairs faster and more efficiently, reducing fuel use and emissions.

We are pioneering the use of Cold Lay Foammix for base and binder layers in our inlay resurfacing works, incorporating 100% recycled materials to enhance sustainability, reduce carbon emissions, and promote a circular economy in highway maintenance.

• Smarter Planning – By improving our asset management approach, we aim to minimise reactive repairs, reducing unnecessary vehicle movements and carbon output.

Building Climate Resilience

• Asphalt Preservation – We are introducing asphalt preservation treatments earlier in the asset lifecycle to extend road life and protect surfaces from extreme weather conditions, reducing the need for energy-intensive resurfacing.
• Improved Drainage Management – We are enhancing drainage systems to mitigate the impact of increased rainfall and surface water flooding.
• Monitoring and Adaptation – By using AI-driven inspections and condition monitoring, we can identify weather-related deterioration earlier and take preventative action.

These measures will help ensure that our roads are sustainable, resilient, and cost-effective, benefiting residents and businesses while reducing our environmental impact.

Additional information on plans

We recognise the importance of keeping residents and businesses informed about our highways work. To improve transparency and accessibility, we are working on enhancing our highways web pages to provide clearer, more detailed information on our projects and services.

• Dedicated Project Pages – For major schemes, we will introduce specific project pages with updates, timelines, and FAQs to keep communities informed about progress and potential impacts.
• Improved Navigation – We are refining the layout of our highways web pages to make it easier for people to find information about roadworks, maintenance schedules, and future investment plans.

Alongside our website improvements, we are also expanding our social media presence to engage with a wider audience and share real-time updates.

• More Frequent Updates – We will provide daily updates on maintenance work, road closures, and resurfacing programmes, so residents know what’s happening in their area.
• Highlighting Successes – Through videos, photos, and case studies, we will showcase the hard work of our teams and demonstrate the improvements being made across the network.
• Interactive Engagement – We aim to use social media to answer questions, share useful travel information, and gather feedback from road users.

These steps will help ensure clearer communication, better public awareness, and greater engagement with our highways improvement efforts.