The Department for Transport requires 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.
We also need to demonstrate to government that we are complying with certain criteria aimed at driving best practice and continual improvement in highways maintenance practice.
Reactive repairs are, of course, often necessary for safety and other reasons, but temporary quick fixes should be avoided wherever possible. A proper risk-based asset management approach will reduce the need for short-term patching, and, as set out in the Code of practice on well-managed highway infrastructure, when determining the balance between structural, preventative and reactive maintenance, authorities should adopt the principle that prevention is better than cure.
Published June 2025
Our highway network
Bedford Borough Council manages and maintains adopted highway assets falling within its 874km network. Comprising of carriageways, footways, highway grass verges and hedges, highway drainage, highway structures, highway street lighting including illuminated signs and bollards, road signs, road makings, street furniture, urban traffic control technology, cycleways and public rights of way.
The Council does not maintain trunk roads or motorways which are the responsibility of National Highways.
Highway network - lengths of highways, footways and cycleways
| Type of highway | Length in kilometres (km) |
|---|---|
| A road | 86.5km |
| B and C roads | 257.6km |
| U roads | 530km |
| Total roads | 874.1km |
| Footways | 808km |
| Other public rights of way | 958km |
| Cycleways | 29km |
Other assets include:
- 241 highway bridges
- 14772 lighting columns
- 22,788 gullies
Highways maintenance spending figures
| Year | Capital allocated by DfT | Capital spend | Revenue spend | Estimate of percentage spent on preventative maintenance | Estimate of percentage spent on reactive maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/2026 projected | £6,318,000 | £3,210,000 | £1,961,620 | 62% | 38% |
| 2024/2025 | £4,890,000 | £4,464,000 | £1,984,257 | 70% | 30% |
| 2023/2024 | £2,198,815 | £3,845,459 | £1,820,475 | 68% | 32% |
| 2022/2023 | £2,433,000 | £4,590,401 | £2,330,459 | 66% | 34% |
| 2021/2022 | £3,244,226 | £3,598,123 | £3,086,961 | 49% | 51% |
| 2020/2021 | £3,244,326 | £4,193,007 | £3,086,961 | 57% | 42% |
Additional information on spending
The Highway reactive maintenance spend summarised in the above table comprises of the following areas:
- Highway patching.
- Reactive and emergency repairs - ie potholes.
- Drainage gully cleansing.
- Bridges and structures.
- Signs and road markings.
- Street Lighting.
- Winter maintenance.
- We undertake patching work via our minor works contractor on all class of roads up to a maximum of 10% of the road.
The highway preventative maintenance programme uses a risk-based approach to identify schemes which are high priority. Examples of the measurable criteria used include Condition Survey data, bus routes, primary routes, reporting from the Highways Helpdesk.
We undertake resurfacing work where the existing surface has deteriorated and needs to be fully replaced. Our current lifecycle for resurfacing work is 10 years.
We also carry out patching and surface dressing as well overlay preventative treatments which aim to extend the life of the structure and can add a further five years providing the there is no overall failure below the surface.
The network is continuously monitored by the Inspection Team and defects are identified via the cyclical inspections as well as reports via the Highways Helpdesk.
Estimated number of potholes filled
| Year | Number of potholes |
|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 6,308 |
| 2023/34 | 6,032 |
| 2022/23 | 3,841 |
| 2021/22 | 1,509 (This is the number of orders raised. In late 2022 we added a field whereby we can state no. of potholes per street/order) |
| 2020/21 | 1,343 (This is the number of orders raised. In late 2022 we added a field whereby we can state no. of potholes per street/order) |
Condition of roads
The following tables show the condition of the highway network by road classification, the percentages in the red column show the percentage of the road network that may be considered for some form of maintenance treatment.
It can be seen from the tables that a steady state is being maintained for the condition of the highway A road network. Bedford’ Borough's target for A roads is 2% and for B and C roads is 3%.
The C road condition indicator is showing signs of deterioration, funding is being prioritised on these roads to ensure that the condition indicator remains at 3% or less.
- Red – Should be considered for maintenance
Percentage of Classified Principal A roads in each condition category
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1.3% | 10.3% | 88.4% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | 9.5% | 88.8% |
| 2022 | 1.6% | 11.9% | 86.6% |
| 2023 | 1.1% | 13.8% | 89.0% |
| 2024 | 1.9% | 15.0% | 83.0% |
SCANNER surveys are carried out across 100% of the Classified Principal A road network in both directions every year.
Percentage of Classified Non-Principal B and C roads in each condition category
| Year | Red | Amber | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2.5% | 18.9% | 78.5% |
| 2021 | 2.4% | 13.7% | 83.7% |
| 2022 | 2.6% | 14.7% | 82.5% |
| 2023 | 4.9% | 20.0% | 74.2% |
| 2024 | 5.1% | 21.8% | 73.0% |
SCANNER surveys are carried out across 100% of the B road network in both directions every year, and C road network is covered in both direction over a two year period, broken into north and south surveys.
Percentage of Unclassified roads in the - Red condition category
| Year | Red |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 18% |
| 2021 | 16.5% |
| 2022 | 24.1% |
| 2023 | 38% |
| 2024 | 16% |
CVI surveys are carried out annually across 100% of the Unclassified Road network over a two-year period, broken into north and south surveys.
From 2026/27 a new methodology will be used based on the BSI PAS2161 standard. Local highways 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 the government gain a more detailed understanding of road condition in England.
The condition of Bedford Borough Council’s classified road network has benefited significantly from additional funding over recent years in particular funding to improve the condition of The A6 Paula Radcliffe Way one of the Borough’s most heavily trafficked road.
Plans
Bedford Borough Council is committed to a highway asset management approach for the long-term maintenance if its highway infrastructure assets. We comply with national guidance and best practice, including the recommendations set out in the DfT’s and UK Roads Liaison Groups ‘Well Managed Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice’ published October 2016.
Highways asset management is designed to complement the Council’s corporate goals and visions.
Bedford’s key asset management document suite comprising of: Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Policy (HIAMP), Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Strategy (HIAMS), Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Plan (HIAM) and Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Communication Strategy. These documents are reviewed annually and are published on the council’s website.
The Council works closely with its neighbouring authorities as well as through the Midlands Highways Alliance forum to keep up with the latest asset management innovations and emerging technologies.
Increased collaboration has provided efficiency opportunities to reduce exposure to risk by adopting consistent standards and shared service levels across the region such as winter gritting arrangements.
Asset Management documents
- Appendix A (PDF)
- Appendix B (PDF)
- Appendix C (PDF)
- Appendix D (PDF)
Specific plans for 2025/26
Bedford Borough Council's Highways publishes structural highway maintenance resurfacing programmes online annually.
The Council aims to implement a balanced maintenance strategy designed to remedy structural deterioration using resurfacing schemes where assessments and risk dictates needs, supported by focussed preventative maintenance programmes designed to extend the serviceable life of highway surfaces in accordance with lifecycle planning principles.
- See our works programmes.
With specific regard to potholes, Bedford Borough Council acknowledges the recommendations set out in Highways Maintenance Efficiency Programme (HMEP) ‘Prevention and a Better Cure’ which advocates three core drivers for efficient operational practices:
- Prevention is better than cure – intervening at the right time will reduce the number of potholes forming and prevent bigger problems later.
- Right first time – do it once and get it right, rather than face continuous bills.
- Clarity for the public – local highway authorities need to communicate to the public what is being done and how it’s being done.
- We have recently purchased Road Mender Elastomac which is a patented rubber modified asphalt. It’s applied hot and bonds to the existing surface which is flowable and self-levelling. This prevents water ingress and contributes to extending the life of the road. Repairs are quick and causes minimal disruption to traffic.
Streetworks
Highways carefully coordinates with street works to minimise disruptions, ensuring efficient resource management and shared road space accessibility.
The Council adheres to statutory guidelines, including the New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA) 1991, Highways and Utilities Commissions (HAUC) Guidance Procedures 2025, and the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Code of Practice for Street Works Inspections 2023, which outline the responsibilities of utility companies and the regulatory duties of the highway authority.
Bedford Borough Council's Street Works operates a permit scheme system, enabling thorough monitoring and management of activities. The Council utilises up-to-date traffic management information to keep stakeholders informed which can be viewed on our roadworks and road closures webpage.
Climate Change
Bedford Borough Council's Highways take part in the regular Midlands Highway Alliance Carbon Steering Group to develop a better understanding of the negative impacts of highway infrastructure maintenance activities upon the environment, and to seek better ways to mitigate or offset the carbon generated by highway works.
The Highways department recently participated in the National Highways and Transport (NHT) Value for Carbon Carriageway Forecasting Tool. Developed jointly by the NHT and Leeds University to help local authorities assess the carbon impact of using the various maintenance strategies. With local authorities under more pressure to meet net-zero carbon emissions it provides a consistent way to assess carbon values.
The process is designed to increase awareness for highways maintenance practitioners to lead them towards better decision making and to adopt new technologies, materials and processes over the longer-term throughout the supply chain, reducing as far as practical the carbon costs associated with delivering maintenance works.