Highways maintenance transparency report

How we maintain local roads, pavements, and the wider highway network in London Borough of Lambeth

What we are responsible for maintaining

Lambeth is responsible for maintaining a wide range of highway assets that support residents, businesses, public transport and active travel across the borough. Our highway network includes:

Maintaining Lambeth's network presents a number of challenges. As a densely populated inner-London borough, our roads and footways experience high levels of traffic, public transport use, walking and cycling activity. Many assets are ageing and require ongoing investment to manage deterioration and extend their service life. Increasingly severe weather events, particularly intense rainfall and surface water flooding, can also accelerate asset deterioration and place additional pressure on maintenance budgets. To address these challenges, Lambeth adopts a risk-based asset management approach that prioritises maintenance where it delivers the greatest benefit to network users and provides the best long-term value for public investment.

Road conditions in London Borough of Lambeth

A roads 

A Roads are major roads intended for through traffic between towns, centres or key destinations. They usually carry higher traffic volumes and are part of the main road network.

B and C roads

B roads are main traffic distributor roads linking strategic routes with other highways. They link local areas to A roads. C Road are secondary traffic distributor roads linking a main traffic distributor with unclassified highways.

U roads

U roads or Unclassified roads are local streets and minor roads that are not formally classified as A, B or C.

We use road condition surveys to assess the state of our roads. The results are grouped into three categories:

• Green – the road is in good condition and performing as expected
• Amber – the road is in fair condition but showing signs of deterioration.
• Red – the road is poor condition and likely to require maintenance.

Additional information on carriageway condition

Condition information for Lambeth's roads, pavements and other highway assets is collected through a borough-wide survey every two years. Assets are assessed using five condition grades, which provide a detailed picture of their condition and help us understand how much they have deteriorated.

For reporting purposes, these five grades can be grouped into three simpler categories, often referred to as a RAG rating:

Red – poor condition and likely to require maintenance. 

Amber – fair condition but showing signs of deterioration.

Green – good condition and performing as expected.

The information presented below uses the RAG rating system because this is the format required by the Department for Transport. It provides a simple way of showing the overall condition of Lambeth's highway assets and how their condition changes over time

What we are doing about potholes and other road defects

What is a pothole?

A carriageway pothole is a localised structural failure resulting from severe fretting (ravelling) and disintegration of the surfacing materials, where both the surface course and binder course have been compromised. The defect is defined as a void with a minimum depth of 40 mm, measured from the top of the adjacent carriageway surface to the deepest point of the defect.

What we are doing to tackle potholes

During 2025/26, Lambeth repaired an estimated 642 potholes on its road network. Carriageway potholes are repaired by excavating all defective material and reinstating with AC10 close graded asphalt. The dense aggregate matrix and low void content of AC10 provide good impermeability, aggregate interlock and resistance to trafficking-induced deterioration. This material offers enhanced resistance to water ingress, fretting, ravelling and repair edge failure, making it particularly suitable for Lambeth's heavily trafficked urban road environment.

Lambeth has a systematic inspection regime, comprising scheduled safety inspections in accordance with the road hierarchy, supplemented by ad-hoc site visits undertaken in response to customer reports or Member enquiries. All identified defects are recorded and assessed using a risk-based methodology, enabling the authority to monitor emerging patterns of deterioration across the network. Reactive maintenance data, including the frequency, location and nature of pothole repairs, is analysed alongside asset condition information, plus other risk factors, to inform work programme development. Carriageways exhibiting extensive fretting, ravelling and recurring reactive interventions are identified as candidates for planned resurfacing or reconstruction treatments rather than repeated localised repairs. This approach has reduced future maintenance liabilities and limited the number of carriageway potholes on the network.

How members of public can report potholes and other highway defects

You can report potholes and other highway issues online 24/7 using Lambeth Council’s reporting service:

Report a highway issue.

Residents can report potholes, damaged pavements, drainage problems, street lighting faults, damaged signs and other highway defects. The online form allows users to pinpoint the location on a map and upload photos or additional information. Reports are reviewed by the Highways Team and assessed according to the risk they pose to road users. Defects presenting the greatest safety risk are prioritised for inspection and repair, ensuring resources are focused on issues most likely to affect public safety.

What happens after a pothole is reported

When you report a pothole or other highway defect, we record the report and arrange for it to be checked by the highway Area Engineer. 

The defect is assessed based on its size, location and the risk it poses to people using the road, footway or cycle track. 

Defects that present an immediate safety risk are made safe as quickly as possible. 

Other defects are repaired in line with our Highway Maintenance Policy. 

Some lower-risk defects may be monitored and repaired as part of planned maintenance works. This helps us focus resources on the defects that pose the greatest risk to public safety.

What we spend to maintain the highway network and where the funding is coming from

Spending on highways maintenance

Where our funding for highways maintenance comes from

Our maintenance plans for this year

Our plans for highways maintenance for 2026-27

2026/27 Highways Asset Improvement Programme will focus on planned carriageway resurfacing and renewal.

• We plan to deliver 3.15km of carriageway resurfacing and 0.41km of carriageway reconstruction.
• Schemes prioritised using condition survey data and a risk-based methodology, considering asset condition, road classification, traffic levels, maintenance history and local needs.
• Works planned for October 2026 to March 2027.
• Key schemes include Wellfield Road, Gleneldon Road, Glendall Street, Strathbrook Road, Chale Road, Ellison Road, Loughborough Park and Wandsworth Road.
• Rolled-over 20262025-26 DfT funding of £586,790. will fund additional sites, including Waterloo Road and Conifer Gardens.
• Expected benefits include improved network condition, fewer reactive repairs, safer journeys, enhanced accessibility and greater network resilience.

Full list of planned carriageway and footway works 

LB Lambeth Highways Asset Improvement Programme 2026-27 (Approved)

In addition to the approved 2026/27 programme, the Council has undertaken further feasibility and investigatory work to identify a pipeline of additional capital investment opportunities. These schemes remain subject to future funding availability, prioritisation and approval, and are set out in Table below.

LB Lambeth Highways Asset Improvement Programme 2026-27 (In Planning)

In combination, the approved programme and the identified pipeline of future schemes demonstrates Lambeth Council’s continued commitment to maintaining a safe, resilient and accessible highway network. Delivery will remain subject to available funding, statutory requirements, programme constraints and ongoing prioritisation to ensure investment is targeted where it provides the greatest public benefit and long-term value for money.

How decisions are made on our maintenance plans 

We use a risk-based, data-driven approach to carriageway and footway improvement schemes. Investment is prioritised where it will deliver the greatest benefit and manage the greatest risk. 

Priority scores are determined using six factors:

• Condition grade
• Scheme size
• Highway classification
• Proximity to key amenities
• Reactive maintenance history
• Support for sustainable travel 

Each factor is assigned a weighting, with a maximum score of 100 points. Condition and scheme size carry the greatest weighting, accounting for up to 60 points. Roads and footways with the highest overall scores are prioritised.

Condition surveys classify assets from Grade 1 (damage free) to Grade 5 (structural or severe surface failure). To be considered for renewal, a section generally needs to contain significant areas rated Grade 4 or Grade 5 and meet minimum scheme size thresholds. Larger schemes are favoured where appropriate because they provide better value for money and reduce future maintenance costs.

Download technical annex (PDF; 382KB)