Rotherham Council has been named one of the best in the country for pothole repairs, road condition, smart investment and best practice, according to new information released by the Government.
Earlier this week, the Government introduced a new ‘traffic light’ system - three scorecards measuring road condition, the level of local investment into highways maintenance and the extent to which councils follow best practice - with green for the best, amber for adequate and red for those which need to improve.
Rotherham is one of only three Local Authorities in England to receive a green ranking for all three categories.
It’s all thanks to a £39m investment between 2015 and 2024, with a further £16m committed to the Rotherham Roads Programme until 2028.
The investment has led to a significant reduction in the number of potholes that have required repair. In 2014/15, 34,000 potholes were repaired, but so far in 2025/26, only 12,951 potholes have needed to be repaired as of December last year – meaning that figure is on track to have halved since investment began
Ongoing work thanks to the investment also means just 2.24% of Rotherham’s A Road network requires repair – less than the national average of 4%.
Meanwhile, 2.27% of Rotherham’s B and C roads need repair – again, lower than the national average of 7%.
Latest figures show that just 8.72% of Rotherham’s 774km unclassified road network requires repair, compared with the national average of 17%.
During 2024/2025, Council investment repaired 235 maintenance schemes, equating to 31.7 miles (50km) of roads and 5.6 miles (9km) of footpaths in the last financial year.
For 2025/26, 200 roads are being actively resurfaced alongside 140 footways, including key locations along the A57, Moorgate Road, Doncaster Road at Hooton Roberts, and Aldwarke Lane at Parkgate.
Teams on the ground are also receiving positive feedback, with 84.5% of residents surveyed satisfied with the performance of the highways teams dealing with repairs.
Cllr Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said: “Nobody likes potholes – they’re frustrating for drivers and they can damage vehicles – so we made it a priority to tackle the problem head-on to make sure Rotherham’s roads are safe to drive on.
“Over the last decade, we’ve invested £55 million into improving the borough’s roads, and that’s why we’re now ranked among the best in the country. You can see the difference - 10 years ago we were repairing more than 30,000 potholes a year, now that number has more than halved because the roads themselves are in better condition.
“It’s not just about quick fixes; it’s about making sure our roads are built to last, and that’s what this investment is delivering.”
“Nobody likes potholes – they can be dangerous for drivers and other road users, and they leave areas looking neglected – which is why we made it a priority to tackle the issue head-on. It’s good to see this recognised in these latest government statistics.
“What this doesn’t mean of course is that there are no problems. Industry analysis suggests there is a £17 billion backlog of resurfacing works to roads right across the country, and Rotherham is not exempt from that.
“But what the numbers do show is that the additional local investment of £55 million we’ve made into improving the borough’s roads, in addition to the national block grant funding we receive, has moved us firmly in the right direction. This year alone we will resurface 200 roads. 10 years ago there were more than 30,000 potholes reported each year, now that number has more than halved. When many other parts of the country have not made that investment, Rotherham’s roads are now in better condition than the national average.
“Finally, the Department for Transport analysis recognises that we are intervening earlier to stop road surfaces worsening, including using what is known as “surface dressing” to extend the life of the road surface, so we’re also getting the best value for the taxpayer.”
Residents can report potholes via the following link: www.rotherham.gov.uk/roads-pavements/potholes/2
Residents interested in viewing more details about the Rotherham Roads Programme can find more information here: www.rotherham.gov.uk/directory/28/indicative-highway-repair-programme-20192020
