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Our highway network
Our authority is responsible for maintaining a highway network covering approximately:
Lengths of highway, footways and cycleways (km)
Details of length of highway, footway and cycleways by km
| A road | B and C roads | U roads | Total roads | Footways | Other public rights of way | Cycleways |
|---|
| 55 km |
36 km |
451 km |
542 km |
891 km |
19.5 km |
36 km |
We also manage a range of infrastructure including bridges, culverts and other highway structures, along with signage, drainage systems, and lighting columns. These assets are critical to keeping people and goods moving safely and efficiently. Extra details on these highways assets can be seen below.
Highway assets
- 8585 Road Traffic Signs
- 186 major junctions with all the associated road markings
- 25 km drainage channels
- 39 mini roundabouts with all the associated road markings
- 128 traffic signals and puffin / crossings
- 79 zebra crossings
- 15,640 streetlights
- 2933 sqm Anti-skid surfacing
- 5.32 km safety barrier
- 1.1 km pedestrian guard rail
- 31,361 gulleys with 5.2 km of associated highway sewer
- 483 bus stops with 258 bus shelters
- 750 m of bus lanes
- additional grit bins, safety bollards, benches, signs etc
- 19.5 km of Public Rrghts of way network
- 26 bridges, 6 footbridges, 11 structures and the collonades
- 18.2 km of tramway (Blackpool and Fleetwood Tramway)
- Coastal Defence infrastructure, including sea defence walls, promenades, colonnades, slipways, grassed areas, guard chains, signage and lifesaving equipment
We aim to keep all parts of our network safe and in good condition, using data and local knowledge to prioritise where maintenance is needed most. We're also working to improve access for pedestrians and cyclists, in line with our sustainability goals.
Highways maintenance spending figures
| 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)
|
6000*
|
6000
|
600
|
97%
|
3%
|
|
2024/25
|
1892
|
1892
|
510
|
91%
|
9%
|
|
2023/24
|
1892
|
1892
|
502
|
91%
|
9%
|
|
2022/23
|
1668
|
1668
|
461
|
93%
|
7%
|
|
2021/22
|
1501
|
1501
|
820
|
94%
|
6%
|
|
2020/21
|
1248
|
1248
|
445
|
86%
|
14%
|
*2025/26 funding includes £2,366,000 from the Highways Maintenance Allocation (HMA) and £3,634,000.00 from the Local Transport Grant (LTG).
Additional information on spending
Our highway maintenance spending is split between capital maintenance works, such as road resurfacing and structural repairs, which are primarily planned and preventative in nature, and revenue-funded activities, which cover both reactive maintenance (such as pothole repairs) and routine preventative maintenance which also covers road resurfacing but also tasks like drainage cleaning and safety inspections.
We estimate that over the past year we resurfaced approximately nearly 6 km of road.
Reactive maintenance has included repairs to 3009 potholes in 2024/25. Over the last five years, the number of potholes filled are as follows:
Estimate of number of potholes filled
Estimate of number of potholes filled
| 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|
|
3103
|
1837
|
1856
|
2941
|
3009
|
We determine the split between preventative and reactive works based on regular condition surveys and historical data. Our goal is to increase preventative maintenance where possible as this helps reduce future costs and disruption.
Condition of local roads
A Roads
Percentage of A roads in each condition category
Percentage of A roads in each condition category
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|
| 2020/21 |
5.30% |
52.50% |
42.10% |
| 2021/22 |
6.00% |
56.70% |
37.10% |
| 2022/23 |
6.50% |
58.90% |
34.40% |
| 2023/24 |
3.60% |
63.80% |
32.10% |
| 2024/25 |
3.90% |
65.80% |
30.20% |
We survey A roads annually using detailed visual inspection video advanced imagery technology.
B and C roads
Percentage of B and C roads in each condition category
Percentage of B and C roads in each condition category
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|
| 2020/21 |
9.80% |
50.10% |
40.10% |
| 2021/22 |
9.30% |
50.60% |
40.10% |
| 2022/23 |
9.30% |
51.70% |
38.80% |
| 2023/24 |
5.40% |
59.60% |
34.90% |
| 2024/25 |
6.00% |
63.20% |
30.70% |
B and C roads are surveyed annually using detailed visual inspection video advanced imagery technology.
U Roads
Details of inspected u roads
| Year | Percentage of U roads in the red category |
|---|
|
2020/21
|
8.40%
|
|
2021/22
|
9.20%
|
|
2022/23
|
9.90%
|
|
2023/24
|
6.70%
|
|
2024/25
|
6.70%
|
U roads are surveyed annually using detailed visual inspection video advanced imagery technology.
Road condition assessments use detailed visual inspection video advanced imagery technology data, which evaluates road surfaces based on ride quality, cracking, rutting, and other surface features. These are categorised as:
- Green: No immediate work required
- Amber: May need maintenance soon
- Red: Considered for urgent maintenance
From 2026/27, all councils will use a new standard (PAS2161), with five condition bands instead of three.
Plans
Overall strategy
We follow an asset management approach to maintain and improve our highways, ensuring the best use of public money. This involves:
- Regular condition monitoring
- Prioritising treatments that extend the life of roads
- Planning works to reduce long-term costs and disruption
- Linking maintenance to climate resilience and sustainability
We are guided by the principles of the UK Roads Liaison Group's "Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure" code of practice.
Innovation and efficiency
To improve value for money, we are adopting:
- Thermal recycling techniques to reuse road materials
- Digital asset management tools to better plan interventions
- Carbon reduction measures such as reduced carbon surfacing process using less resources, lower mixing temperatures, lower energy resources and a lower bitumen content than conventional asphalt surfacing materials
- Shared procurement frameworks with neighbouring councils to reduce costs
We also use permanent repair techniques for potholes wherever possible to avoid repeat visits.
Specific plans for 2025/26
In 2025/26, we expect to:
- Resurface: approximately 17 km of roads
- Repair structures: 1
- Estimated potholes filled: 3000
- Spend split: 91% preventative, 9% reactive
Streetworks
We recognise that streetworks can be disruptive for residents, businesses, and road users. To minimise this disruption, we coordinate closely with utility companies and contractors to ensure that roadworks are planned carefully and carried out at the best possible times to reduce impact. We use a permit scheme that helps us manage when and where works take place, avoid unnecessary duplication, and ensure that roadworks are completed as quickly and safely as possible.
We also use digital mapping and planning tools to improve coordination across different organisations. This helps us to schedule works so that multiple repairs or improvements can be made at the same time, reducing the need for repeated disruptions. We actively monitor works to ensure they are completed to a high standard and within agreed timescales, and we take action if works are delayed or poorly managed.
Climate change, resilience and adaptation
We are taking the following actions:
- Decarbonising maintenance by using low-carbon materials on some schemes
- Improving resilience through better drainage, green infrastructure, and assessing flood risk in road design
- Striving to embed climate risk into all asset management decisions where possible
Additional information
For further details about our highways maintenance programme, please contact us at: highwaysandtraffic@blackpool.gov.uk