West Northamptonshire has the worst roads in the UK, according to an analysis of Department for Transport data by field management software firm Re-flow Field Management.
The study scored local authorities based on road surface conditions. Covering towns including Northampton, Daventry, and Towcester, West Northamptonshire received an overall score of 47.13 and had the worst B and C roads in the country.
National ranking: Top 10 areas with the worst roads
| Rank | Local Authority | A Roads (Red Status) | A Roads (Amber Status) | B & C Roads (Red Status) | B & C Roads (Amber Status) |
| 1 | West Northamptonshire | 5% | 71% | 17.5% | 72.5% |
| 2 | Derbyshire | 20.4% | 44% | 27% | 47.6% |
| 3 | North Northamptonshire | 3% | 71% | 10% | 82% |
| 4 | Bristol, City of | 8.8% | 63.2% | 10% | 74.6% |
| 5 | Southend-on-Sea | 12.6% | 47% | 19.8% | 51.8% |
| 6 | Bath and Northeast Somerset | 5% | 56% | 17% | 60.5% |
| 7 | Bradford | 6.67% | 62.67% | 9.33% | 63% |
| 8 | Liverpool | 9.8% | 45.2% | 15% | 54.75% |
| 9 | Cheshire West and Chester | 1% | 64.8% | 4.4% | 72.4% |
| 10 | Westminster | 4% | 32% | 16.5% | 71.5% |
Westminster appears in the top 10 despite being one of the wealthiest London boroughs, driven by the poor condition of its secondary routes.
At the other end of the spectrum, Sunderland recorded the best road conditions in the UK, with a score of 7.30. It had 87.6% of A roads and 85.4% of B and C roads classified as green, with just 1% in red status for both categories. Middlesbrough ranked second, followed by Leeds in third.
Local authorities in the highest-ranked areas have committed substantial funding towards maintenance and repairs.
West Northamptonshire Council – The council committed £100 million in capital investment for 2025-2026, rising to £155 million over the next four years. Roughly £14.6 million is earmarked for road maintenance, including 6.79 km of micro asphalt, 13.2 km of surface dressing, 1.4 km of carriageway resurfacing, and repairs to five bridges and structures.
Derbyshire County Council – The council committed £41 million for road maintenance in 2025-2026, with £24 million set aside for repair schemes. Projects include a £3.6 million surface dressing programme across 57 sites, £930,000 for micro asphalt on 79 residential roads, and patching work at 111 sites.
North Northamptonshire Council – The council allocated around £14 million in 2024-2025 for surface treatments, including more than 8 km of micro asphalt and 10 km of surface dressing. Dedicated teams aim to repair more than 1,000 potholes each week.
Bristol City Council – The council allocated more than £23 million in 2024-2025, comprising £17 million in capital funding and nearly £7 million in revenue funding. Preventative maintenance accounts for 78% of the budget, with 22% spent on reactive repairs such as pothole filling.
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council – The council allocated approximately £8.5 million in 2024-2025, comprising £5 million in capital funding for resurfacing and preventative work, alongside £3.5 million for reactive maintenance.
Ashley Wing, Chief Marketing Officer of Re-flow Field Management, commented on the findings: “These results show a concerning picture of the UK’s road infrastructure, with significant regional disparities in road quality. What’s particularly worrying is seeing areas like Westminster in the top 10, showing that even wealthy boroughs aren’t immune to road maintenance issues.”
“What jumped out was that West Northamptonshire has less than 10% of its B and C roads in good condition. For residents driving on those routes every day, that is a shocking statistic.”
“These findings come at a crucial time when local authorities are making difficult budget decisions. Our 2024 Construction Report highlights how digital systems can help road maintenance teams work more efficiently, prioritising repairs and managing resources better through improved visibility between site and office operations.”