Highways maintenance transparency report 2026

In this section

  1. What we spent to maintain the highway network and where the funding is coming from
  2. How we maintain local roads, pavements, and the wider highway network in Stoke-on-Trent
  3. Our maintenance plans for this year
  4. Transparency report – Technical Annex template
  5. Maintaining footways and cycleways
  6. Drainage
  7. Skills and training
  8. Adapting roads to withstand climate pressures
  9. Innovation
  10. Working with utility companies to reduce disruption to road users
  11. Managing highways maintenance contracts effectively

Our maintenance plans for this year

Our plans for highways maintenance for 2026-27

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is committed to maintaining and improving its highway network through a balanced programme of reactive repairs, preventative maintenance and innovation. During 2026–27 we plan to:

  • Resurface approximately 22 km of carriageway on roads identified as being in poor condition through our asset management processes.
  • Apply preventative maintenance treatments to approximately 38km of carriageway, including asphalt preservation, surface dressing, micro asphalt and other life-extending treatments.
  • Renew approximately 6 km of footways, improving accessibility and safety for pedestrians.
  • Continue investment in drainage, highway structures, signs, road markings, street lighting and traffic signal infrastructure.
  • Introduce AI-powered highway inspections to gather real-time condition data and improve maintenance decision-making.
  • Align our asset management approach with the principles of PAS 2161, strengthening our data-led and risk-based approach to managing highway assets.
  • Prioritise preventative maintenance to preserve assets before more costly structural repairs become necessary.
  • Look to introduce deep recycling into our treatment regime and complete 1km of deep recycling in the carriageway
  • Use condition data and lifecycle planning to target investment where it will deliver the greatest benefit and best value for money.
  • Coordinate highway works with utility companies and other stakeholders to minimise disruption to residents and road users.
  • Support the Council's decarbonisation and climate resilience objectives through sustainable maintenance practices and materials.

This programme will help ensure Stoke-on-Trent's highways remain safe, resilient and fit for the future whilst maximising the value of available funding.

 

Full list of planned carriageway and footway works

Download file

This programme sets out the highway maintenance works we aim to deliver and reflects our current priorities at the time of publication. While we will make every effort to complete these works, the programme should not be interpreted as a promise or guarantee. A number of factors beyond our control, such as severe weather, emergency repairs, utility company activities, funding changes, or unforeseen site issues, may affect when and how works are delivered.

 

How decisions are made on our maintenance plans

Stoke-on-Trent City Council uses an asset-management-led approach to prioritise highway maintenance, ensuring available funding is targeted where it will deliver the greatest benefit. We use road condition data, inspections and risk assessments to identify roads and footways requiring intervention, focusing on preventative maintenance wherever possible to extend asset life and reduce future repair costs.

Our investment decisions balance carriageway resurfacing on roads in poor condition with preventative treatments on roads in fair condition to prevent further deterioration. We are introducing AI-powered highway inspections and aligning our asset management processes with PAS 2161 to improve data quality and support evidence-based decision making.

We operate a direct labour workforce, giving us greater control over quality, productivity and programme delivery. We also coordinate works with utility companies and other stakeholders to minimise disruption to road users. This approach, alongside investment in footways, climate resilience and digital asset management, helps us deliver an efficient, value-for-money service whilst maintaining a safe and reliable network.