What we are responsible for maintaining
We manage one of the largest and most diverse highway networks in England, supporting connectivity across a predominantly rural county and enabling access to key services, employment and communities.
Our network includes:
- Carriageways – 9,334km
- Footways – 4,547km
- Street Lighting Columns – 70,305 assets
- Bridges – 1,513 structures
- Traffic Signals – 354 installations
- Drainage – 152,628 gullies
- Trees – 69,382
This network is our most valuable public asset and plays a vital role in supporting economic growth, connecting communities, enabling access to services and facilitating journeys for residents, businesses and visitors.
Managing and maintaining this extensive network requires a long-term approach. Our large geographic area and rural nature mean assets are widely dispersed, creating maintenance challenges. A significant proportion of the network, particularly unclassified roads, consists of evolved routes not designed for modern traffic volumes or heavy goods vehicles. Despite this, they continue to provide essential connectivity.
The network faces pressures from increasing demand, an ageing asset base and funding constraints. Climate change, including more frequent heavy rainfall, flooding and prolonged dry periods, places greater demands on carriageways, drainage systems and structures. Through a risk-based asset management approach, we target investment where it delivers the greatest benefit, improving resilience and long-term performance of the highway network.
Road conditions in Lincolnshire
A roads
| Year | Percentage of road in red category | Percentage of road in amber category | Percentage of road in green category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1.7% | 18.3% | 79.9% |
| 2024 | 1.9% | 19.5% | 78.6% |
| 2025 | 2.5% | 19.3% | 78.2% |
B and C roads
| Year | Percentage of road in red category | Percentage of road in amber category | Percentage of road in green category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 6.5% | 23.6% | 69.9% |
| 2024 | 6.2% | 24.1% | 69.8% |
| 2025 | 6.2% | 23.1% | 70.8% |
U roads
| Year | Percentage of road in red category |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 26.1% |
| 2024 | 25.5% |
| 2025 | 23.2% |
Councils use road condition surveys to assess the state of their roads. The results are grouped into three categories:
- Green – the road is in good condition and no further investigation or treatment is required
- Amber – the road may need maintenance soon
- Red – the road is in poor condition and should be considered for maintenance
The published official statistics for road condition include more detail about the methodology, timing and coverage of this data.
Additional information on carriageway condition
Carriageway condition is assessed using a combination of machine-based surveys (SCANNER, SCRIM and Deflectograph) and visual inspections (CVI and AI video assessments), providing structural and surface condition data. Surveys are undertaken in line with national guidance and supplemented by local intelligence, defect records and customer reports to identify emerging issues and support investment decisions.
Reported condition figures can be influenced by several factors. Our network includes a high proportion of rural and unclassified roads, many of which were not designed for current traffic levels or heavy vehicle use. Traffic growth and environmental factors, including flooding, drought and freeze-thaw cycles, also affect network performance.
We have achieved sustained improvements in our road condition through targeted investment and proactive asset management. Annual variations can reflect the strategic prioritisation of higher-risk road sections, ensuring funding is directed where it delivers the greatest benefit, supporting the long-term resilience and performance of the highway network.
What we are doing about potholes and other road defects
What is a pothole?
A pothole is a localised failure of the carriageway surface, forming a broken area or abrupt depression. Potholes are typically identified where the road surface has broken away, creating a hazard to road users.
Potholes develop as a result of water entering cracks in the carriageway and weakening the underlying layers. Traffic loading, particularly from heavy vehicles, and environmental conditions such as freeze-thaw cycles and prolonged wet or dry periods, accelerate this process.
We use a risk-based approach to assess defects. Response times are determined by the level of risk to highway users, taking account of factors such as size, depth, location, traffic speed and usage. Defects that present a safety risk as defined in policy are made safe or repaired on specified response times while lower-risk defects are addressed through planned maintenance or routine works programmes. This ensures resources are targeted where they will reduce risk most.
What we are doing to tackle potholes
We take a proactive and risk-based approach to managing potholes as part of our wider highway maintenance strategy. This includes a combination of reactive repairs, planned maintenance and preventative treatments to maintain the network in a safe and serviceable condition.
During the 2025-26 financial year, we have repaired approximately 63,065 potholes across the county.
Safety-related defects are prioritised using a risk-based approach, ensuring that those posing the greatest risk to road users are addressed first. Where it is safe and appropriate to do so, we prioritise permanent repairs to avoid repeat visits and provide longer-lasting solutions. However, there are occasions where temporary or emergency repairs are necessary, for example where immediate safety risks must be mitigated quickly, or where conditions (such as weather or traffic management constraints) prevent a permanent repair at the first visit.
Alongside reactive repairs, we place strong emphasis on preventative maintenance. This includes surface treatments, resurfacing and reconstruction schemes designed to extend the life of carriageways and reduce the likelihood of potholes forming.
These treatments are delivered using a whole-life asset management approach, intervening before carriageways deteriorate to the point where more extensive repairs are required. Wherever practical, repairs are coordinated with planned programmes to maximise efficiency, reduce repeat visits and deliver lasting outcomes.
Our approach is underpinned by condition data, inspections and local intelligence, enabling us to target investment effectively and reduce long-term costs. By balancing reactive and planned maintenance, we aim to minimise disruption, improve resilience and deliver best value from available funding.
How members of public can report potholes and other highway defects
Members of the public can report potholes and other highway defects using our online reporting system.
This platform allows users to pinpoint the location of a defect on a map, upload photos and provide details to support assessment. Reports can also be made via our Customer Service Centre for those unable to access online services.
All reports are logged into our asset management system and assessed using our risk-based approach to determine the appropriate response. The use of digital reporting tools enables efficient triage, prioritisation and tracking of defects across the highway network and provides updates throughout the process.
What happens after a pothole is reported
Once a pothole or highway defect is reported, it is recorded and assessed using a risk-based approach. We consider factors including size, location, traffic levels and risk to road users.
If the defect meets our safety intervention criteria, it is prioritised for repair within the response timescale. This may involve an emergency repair or initially making the defect safe.
Where the defect does not present an immediate safety risk, it is monitored and may be included in planned maintenance programmes. All works are completed in line with our inspection regime and our Highways Infrastructure Asset Management Plan.
What we spend to maintain the highway network and where the funding is coming from
Spending on highways maintenance
| 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 (projected) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total spend on highways maintenance | £112,019,162 | £103,430,097 | £116,501,944 |
| Of which spent on: | |||
| Carriageways | £79,364,625 | £66,408,455 | £72,892,263 |
| Footways | £3,781,479 | £5,073,902 | £5,240,836 |
| Structures (for example bridges or tunnels) | £3,599,601 | £3,577,521 | £3,583,052 |
| Drainage | £6,241,660 | £6,712,430 | £9,482,407 |
| Street lighting | £4,266,370 | £4,896,960 | £3,994,340 |
| Traffic Signals | £2,324,937 | £2,579,630 | £2,660,660 |
| Other assets | £12,440,490 | £14,181,199 | £18,648,386 |
Where our funding for highways maintenance comes from
| Funding sources for highways maintenance | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 (projected) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funding received through the Department for Transport / UK Government | £44,275,352 | £60,442,000 | £62,280,834 |
| Additional highways maintenance funding provided by the Council or third parties | £67,743,810 | £42,988,097 | £54,221,110 |
| Total | £112,019,162 | £103,430,097 | £116,501,944 |
Our maintenance plans for this year
Our plans for highways maintenance for 2026-27
Our 2026-27 highways maintenance programme focuses on maintaining a safe and resilient network, with a strong emphasis on preventative maintenance to reduce long-term costs and improve overall condition.
Planned works include:
- Carriageway resurfacing: approximately 115 km of roads
- Preventative surface treatments: approximately 348 km of roads
- Footway renewal and reconstruction: approximately 15.8 km of pavements
- Drainage improvements: targeted works to address flooding and improve network resilience at high-risk locations
- Structures maintenance: inspection, repair and strengthening of bridges and other highway structures
- Street lighting: ongoing column replacement and LED upgrades
- Traffic signals: refurbishment and replacement of ageing installations
These programmes are developed using condition data, lifecycle planning and a risk-based approach to ensure investment is targeted where it delivers the greatest benefit. This supports early intervention, helping to extend asset life, reduce future maintenance liabilities and improve network reliability.
Full list of planned carriageway and footway works
A full list of planned carriageway and footway maintenance works for 2026-27 is available.
This information is presented as a table or interactive map and includes details of:
- Road or street name
- Location
- Type of work (for example resurfacing, surface dressing, or footway reconstruction)
- Programme timing (where available)
This allows residents and road users to understand what works are planned in their area and the type of maintenance being carried out.
How decisions are made on our maintenance plans
Our highways maintenance programme is developed using a data-led, risk-based approach to ensure investment is targeted effectively and delivers the greatest overall benefit to the network.
We use a combination of condition surveys, including machine-based and visual inspections, alongside asset data and local intelligence to identify where maintenance is required. This is supported by lifecycle planning, which helps determine the most appropriate treatment at the right time to maximise asset life and value for money.
Schemes are prioritised based on factors such as asset condition, usage, risk to road users and the strategic importance of routes. We also consider network resilience and future demand. We coordinate works with other activities, including utility works and major projects, to minimise disruption and improve efficiency.
This approach enables us to balance reactive repairs with planned, preventative maintenance, reduce long-term costs and deliver the best outcomes within available funding for the benefit of users.
Technical Annex
The technical annex provides supplementary information to support the main Transparency Report. It includes detailed information on highway maintenance funding, asset management, pothole repairs, drainage, structures, network resilience, innovation and performance management.
The information is intended to provide greater transparency on how we manage, maintain and invest in Lincolnshire's highway network using a risk-based, evidence-led approach.