Purpose
The Department for Transport (DfT) has asked all local highways authorities to publish information about their highways maintenance activities to help local taxpayers see the difference that funding is making in their areas.
Our highway network
Leeds City Council is responsible for maintaining an extensive and diverse highway network that supports the daily movement of residents, businesses, and visitors. This includes over 3,000 km of roads, more than 5,600 km of footways, and a growing network of cycleways and public rights of way. Our infrastructure also includes bridges, tunnels, retaining walls, traffic signals, streetlights, illuminated and non-illuminated signs, road markings and drainage systems, all of which are essential to keeping the city moving safely and efficiently.
Lengths of highway, footways, and cycleways (km)
| Type | Length |
|---|---|
| A road | 406 km |
| B and C roads | 256 km |
| U roads | 2,342 km |
| Total roads | 3,004 km |
| Footways | 5,619 km |
| Public rights of way | 859 km |
| Cycleways | 148 km |
In addition to roads and footways, we manage a wide range of highway assets including over 400 bridges, tunnels and culverts, 600 traffic signal installations, 92,000 streetlights, and 140,000 drainage gullies. These assets are regularly inspected and maintained to ensure safety, reliability, and compliance with national standards. Our asset management approach prioritises preventative maintenance to extend asset life and reduce long-term costs.
Highways maintenance spending
Leeds City Council is part of the West Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (WYMCA). As a result, the authority receives funding via the City Regional Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS). Funding was awarded alongside seven other City Regions as part of a 5-year settlement and runs from 2022/23 to 2026/27. The funding is administered by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority on behalf of the DfT.
Highway asset maintenance spending
2025/26
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Capital allocated by DfT (£,000s) | £18,256,605 |
| Capital allocated by LCC (£,000s) | £18,242,900 |
| Revenue allocated by LCC (£,000s) | £5,343,000 |
| Estimate of % spent in total | 100% |
| Estimate of % spent on preventative maintenance | 87.2% |
| Estimate of % spent on reactive maintenance | 12.8% |
2024/25
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Capital allocated by DfT (£,000s) | £25,263,043 |
| Capital allocated by LCC (£,000s) | £11,150,200 |
| Revenue allocated by LCC (£,000s) | £5,343,000 |
| Estimate of % spent in total | 100% |
| Estimate of % spent on preventative maintenance | 87.2% |
| Estimate of % spent on reactive maintenance | 12.8% |
2023/24
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Capital allocated by DfT (£,000s) | £20,048,648 |
| Capital allocated by LCC (£,000s) | £15,000,000 |
| Revenue allocated by LCC (£,000s) | £5,327,932 |
| Estimate of % spent in total | 100% |
| Estimate of % spent on preventative maintenance | 86.8% |
| Estimate of % spent on reactive maintenance | 13.2% |
2022/23
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Capital allocated by DfT (£,000s) | £14,780,800 |
| Capital allocated by LCC (£,000s) | £15,000,000 |
| Revenue allocated by LCC (£,000s) | £5,327,932 |
| Estimate of % spent in total | 100% |
| Estimate of % spent on preventative maintenance | 84.8% |
| Estimate of % spent on reactive maintenance | 15.2% |
2021/22
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Capital allocated by DfT (£,000s) | £10,758,681 |
| Capital allocated by LCC (£,000s) | £12,300,000 |
| Revenue allocated by LCC (£,000s) | £5,327,932 |
| Estimate of % spent in total | 100% |
| Estimate of % spent on preventative maintenance | 81.2% |
| Estimate of % spent on reactive maintenance | 18.8% |
2020/21
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Capital allocated by DfT (£,000s) | £13,014,573 |
| Capital allocated by LCC (£,000s) | £12,300,000 |
| Revenue allocated by LCC (£,000s) | £5,320,210 |
| Estimate of % spent in total | 100% |
| Estimate of % spent on preventative maintenance | 82.6% |
| Estimate of % spent on reactive maintenance | 17.4% |
Additional information on spending
In addition to the capital funding that is received from the DfT, we have also allocated a significant amount of its own capital funding for many years. This reflects the scale of the backlog (estimated at £288.3M) and the high priority afforded to this type of work by the council, Members and the public.
Our capital and revenue spending supports a broad range of maintenance activities. Preventative maintenance includes surface dressing and patching, along with deeper reconstruction and resurfacing works to extend the life of roads and footways. In 2024/25, we resurfaced over 121 km of carriageway and carried out structural maintenance on 3 key bridges.
Reactive maintenance addresses urgent issues such as potholes and safety defects. Over the past five years, we have filled more than 65,100 potholes, with a growing focus on first-time permanent repairs. In addition, both capital and revenue funding are spent on repairing and replacing a variety of other assets including pedestrian barriers, crash barriers and benches.
We determine the split between preventative and reactive maintenance using asset condition data, risk assessments, and community feedback in accordance with national guidance documents and best practice. Our goal is to increase the proportion of surface dressing type preventative maintenance work to reduce long-term costs and improve network resilience. Due to the nature of the works, its significantly more costly to undertake deeper reconstruction works than preventative maintenance. In future years, we aim to allocate 25% of our maintenance budget to preventative works, up from 18% in 2020/21.
Condition of local roads
We have adopted the Well Managed Highways Infrastructure Code of Practice which is designed to “promote the adoption of an integrated asset management approach to highway infrastructure based on the establishment of local levels of service through risk-based assessment. The application of this approach and the sequencing of inspections and assessments through to the development of future planned works programme will be managed in accordance with the integrated approach for the wider highway network management.
In addition to our safety inspection regime, all the roads in Leeds are also monitored for overall condition. Each section of a road is then scored and placed on a priority list for planned maintenance works such as preventative or complete reconstruction or patching works. In addition, we are also continuing to use Artificial Intelligence techniques to support and supplement our inspection regimes.
Road condition assessments on the classified road network in England are currently made predominantly using Surface Condition Assessment for the National Network of Roads (SCANNER) laser-based technology.
Several parameters measured in these surveys are used to produce a road condition indicator which is categorised into three condition categories:
- Green – No further investigation or treatment required
- Amber – Maintenance may be required soon
- Red – Should be considered for maintenance
| Year | Percentage of A roads in each condition category | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | Amber | Green | |
| 2020 | 2.3% | 32% | 65.8% |
| 2021 | 1.9% | 30% | 68.1% |
| 2022 | 2.6% | 31.4% | 66% |
| 2023 | 2.8% | 32.8% | 64.4% |
| 2024 | 5.1% | 30.8% | 64.1% |
Scanner surveys of the classified network (A,B and C) are undertaken annually with 50% being completed each year, therefore the entire network is inspected over a 2-year period.
Percentage of B and C roads in each condition category
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1.7% | 29.7% | 68.6% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | 29.4% | 68.9% |
| 2022 | 2.3% | 32.3% | 65.4% |
| 2023 | 2.6% | 32.5% | 65% |
| 2024 | 5.9% | 31.6% | 62.5% |
Engineers Inspection (EIN) surveys of the Unclassified network are undertaken annually with >25% being completed each year, therefore the entire network is inspected over a 4-year period.
Percentage of U roads in the Red category
| Year | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 6.7% |
| 2021 | 6.5% |
| 2022 | 5.8% |
| 2023 | 8.2% |
| 2024 | 7.9% |
From 2026/27 a new methodology of road condition assessments will be used based on the BSI PAS2161 standard. Local Highway Authorities will be required to use a supplier that has been accredited against PAS2161. This new standard will categorise roads into five categories instead of three to help government gain a more detailed understanding of road condition in England.
Additional information on condition
The condition of our roads is influenced by a range of factors including weather, traffic volumes, and historical investment. The increase in red-rated U roads in 2023 reflects the impact of extreme weather events, competing demands on limited funding and an ageing infrastructure the result of which is the challenge to manage a declining network. We are prioritising these roads, as much as possible in our 2025/26 programme. Our investment in SCANNER surveys and the upcoming transition to PAS2161 standards will enhance our ability to monitor and respond to road condition trends more effectively.
The issue of Potholes on UK roads is often raised as a top concern for many. Unfortunately, despite our best-efforts new potholes can quickly form, increase in size, and can often be found in clusters occurring in a similar time frame. The increase in recent years appears to have been reflected across the country where the effects of the second wettest year in 2023 since records began in 1836, with eleven named storms compared to two in the previous storm season, have resulted in a similar issue.
Estimate of number of potholes filled
| Year | Total |
|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 7,938 |
| 2020/22 | 7,658 |
| 2020/23 | 8,855 |
| 2020/24 | 14,646 |
| 2020/25 | 26,007 |
In seeking to address the issue of potholes a project has been established to review the complete process of pothole repairs from reporting through to repair. £2m of our annual funding has been specifically allocated to this task. As well as seeking to make efficiencies and provide an improved service, a key ambition of this project is to increase the proportion of a first-time permanent patch repairs rather than temporary repairs. Several trials using new materials and equipment are also underway.
Plans
Overall strategy
Our asset management strategy is built on the principles of sustainability, efficiency, and continuous improvement. We use a data-driven approach to prioritise investment, focusing on lifecycle planning and risk-based decision-making. Our strategy aligns with national guidance and supports the delivery of safe, reliable, and accessible transport infrastructure for all users.
View our 2022 to 2027 Highways Infrastructure Asset Management Strategy.
We are committed to adopting best practices and driving innovation in highway maintenance. This includes the use of recycled materials in resurfacing, trialling low-carbon asphalt, and deploying digital tools for asset inspections and defect reporting. Our collaborative approach with contractors, neighbouring authorities and industry experts helps us share knowledge and achieve economies of scale.
Our highway structures are continually monitored for condition and maintenance needs. Prioritised planned maintenance and strengthening programmes are developed to maintain the assets in a safe and serviceable condition appropriate for their use together with a view to minimising whole life costs.
Specific plans for 2025/26
In 2025/26, we plan to resurface 124 km of carriageway and improve 41 km of footways. Key structures scheduled for repair include Calverley River Bridge and Otley Bridge. We estimate filling approximately 15,000 potholes. Our programme is shaped by local priorities, with input from Councillors and communities, and is approved by our Highways Board.
Access these reports:
Highways Infrastructure Maintenance Programme (Structures) 2025/26
Highways Infrastructure Maintenance Programmes (Roads) 2025/26
Streetworks
We employ a statutory Traffic Manager in accordance with the Traffic Management Act 2004 who runs a dedicated team to ensure our network management duty is satisfied. This team has employed a permits scheme since 2012, and from 2020 this scheme was expanded to include all streets within our control. The permit scheme is classed as excellent by our external advisor’s, Swift Argent Ltd., having achieved a significant reduction in the average duration of works and saved many thousands of disruption days due to our officers’ challenging proposals.
Our digital planning tools help ensure works are scheduled efficiently, avoiding peak times and sensitive locations. We work closely with utility companies to promote joint working and reduce the frequency of road openings.
In addition to quarterly co-ordination meetings and quarterly performance meetings with all works promoters, we take a leading role in the regional Yorkshire and Humber Joint Authorities Group (YJAG) and regional Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee (YHAUC).
We are currently aiming to implement powers and are at an advanced stage of a Lane Rental application to the Secretary of State that will further enhance our ability to minimise disruption.
Climate change, resilience, and adaptation
We are actively decarbonising our operations by transitioning to electric maintenance vehicles, using low-carbon materials, and reducing waste. Our climate resilience strategy includes enhanced drainage maintenance, tree planting, and investment in flood-prone areas. We are also mapping climate risks to inform future planning and investment. Further details: Climate change.
As a council we aim to promote sustainable travel options such as walking, cycling, and the use of public transport. By encouraging the use of these modes of transport, we aim to reduce congestion, lower carbon emissions, and decrease deterioration rates on the roads.
Additional information on plans
Each year we aim to publish our annual works programme, further details: Annual programme of works.
Our annual works programme is published on Leeds.gov.uk, providing transparency and enabling residents to track progress. We are also investing in community engagement through digital platforms and local forums. This year, we are aligning our maintenance programme with wider city initiatives such as the Active Travel Strategy and the Leeds Net Zero 2030 plan.
