Wigan Council one of only 16 local authorities to be awarded green status for road maintenance

Under the recently introduced traffic light rating scheme, designed to measure how well councils maintain their local roads, Wigan is one of just 16 authorities out of 154 nationwide to receive a green rating, placing it in the top 11 per cent across England.

The ratings have been issued by the Department for Transport and are based on several factors, including the overall condition of local roads, levels of investment in maintenance, and how effectively councils follow recognised best practice.

Wigan borough is responsible for more than 1,000 kilometres of roads, and the council said the top rating reflects sustained investment in preventative maintenance, as well as the speed and effectiveness of its highways teams in responding to reactive repair work.

Cabinet portfolio holder for planning, environmental services and transport Coun Paul Prescott said: “Wigan Council is one of only 16 out of 154 councils to achieve a ‘green’ rating for the conditions of our road network, which includes more than 1000km of roads. This places us in the top 11 per cent in the country.

"We take the approach that ‘prevention is better than cure’, with proactive works to tackle problems before they happen.

"Nearly 90 per cent of our investment in roads is spent on preventative maintenance, assessing roads for early signs of wear and carrying out earlier interventions, at a lower cost than reactive works.

"Reactive works and responding to resident reports continue to be a key part of our work, with 99 per cent of emergency highways defect repaired in less than 24 hours. and within two hours for the highest risk issues.”

The new ratings come after the government backed local authorities with a record multi-year investment to improve the condition of their roads, after years of them calling for long-term certainty.

This allows them to repair potholes effectively and move away from expensive, short-term repairs and instead invest in long-term preventative measures.

The fixes will mean more money in drivers’ pockets – with the average vehicle repair bill from hitting potholes around £320, with some motorists paying over £1,000 last year.