Green, amber or red? New Department for Transport figures show state of roads in Telford and Wrekin

Each year local authorities provide information for the current year and have the opportunity to revise the previous year’s data.

The Road Condition Indicator (RCI) is a measure of the condition of the road surface.

These are grouped into ‘green’ or ‘good’ (i.e. no further investigation or work is needed to bring it up to standard), ‘amber’ (may need work sometime soon), and ‘red’ or ‘poor’ (further investigation is required to ascertain if work is needed immediately).

The percentage of B and C roads classified as ‘red’ in Telford and Wrekin was 5 per cent in the last financial year, while figures from the year 2000 showed 4 per cent had the worst rating.

The percentage of ‘red’ road is now calculated in a different way to the former national indicators.

The data for amber and green roads was collected on a voluntary basis from local authorities.

The figure for Telford and Wrekin for B and C roads classified as ‘green’ was 69 per cent in the last financial year, while back in 2020 some 75 per cent of roads had the best grading.

Motorways and A-roads classed as being ‘red’ or ‘poor’ have been 7 per cent since 2021, they were previously graded in 2019 when just 1 per cent had the worst rating.

In comparison the amount of main roads classified as ‘green’ is at 64 per cent, in 2019 some 85 per cent had the best rating.

Commenting on the figures, a spokesperson for the borough council said: “Telford & Wrekin Council invest heavily in its highways despite Department for Transport (DfT – Government) funding for long term road maintenance being slashed by almost 50 per cent in the last four years.

“The department themselves say that the data in their report should not be used to compare standards because of differences in the way they measure them over time and across the country.

“There is always more to do, but we’re committed to doing what we can to keep our roads in good shape.”