In March 2018 the BBC Shared Data Unit reported some 10% of the road network maintained by local authorities in Great Britain is in poor condition, or had been flagged for further inspection.
We analysed eight years' of public data from the Department for Transport (DfT), the National Improvement Service for Local Government in Scotland, and six years' of data from Data Unit Wales’ Local Authority Performance. The Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure was unable to provide us with comparable data on the condition of its roads.
Our analysis revealed about 37,000 kilometres (22,990 miles) across England, Wales and Scotland fell below top standard in surveys.
The Shared Data Unit makes data journalism available to news organisations across the media industry, as part of a partnership between the BBC and the News Media Association. Stories generated by the partnership included:
- Daventry Express: SPECIAL REPORT: Combined length of unsafe roads in Northamptonshire would stretch from here to Liverpool 19 March
- The Scotsman: A third of Scotland’s roads are deemed to be in need of repair 20 March
- Southern Daily Echo: Figures reveal more than 170 miles of Hampshire's roads were in need of repair last year 20 March
- Yorkshire Evening Post: 37,000 kilometres of UK's roads in poor condition, study reveals. But what about Yorkshire? 20 March
- Your Thurrock: Potholes: Thousands of miles of UK roads in poor condition 20 March
- Scotland: STV News: More than a quarter of Scottish roads in poor condition 20 March
- The Northern Echo:North-East councils 'would have spend nearly £1bn' to fix pothole problem 20 March
- Bob FM: Potholes, bumps and lumps: Why it's claimed 1-in-5 local roads are in a poor condition 20 March
- Southern Daily Echo: Hampshire County Council transport chief Rob Humby slams lack of funding for state of county's roads 21 March
- Worcester News: Worcestershire has some of the best kept roads in the region, new figures show 21 March
- South Wales Argus: 150 miles of roads across Gwent in 'poor condition' 21 March
- Staffs Live: Increase in Stoke-on-Trent roads deemed poor due to ‘ridiculous’ potholes 23 March
- Wrexham: The Leader: Wrexham has some of the worst potholes in Wales 23 March
- Edinburgh Evening News: Edinburgh Council on potholes: ‘We’re getting better, but we can improve’ 23 March
- Romsey Advertiser: Transport chief blames government funding in pothole row 26 March
- Solihull Observer: Solihull will benefit from £300k fund to repair potholes and damaged roads 26 March
- Bromsgrove Advertiser: Worcestershire has some of the best kept roads in the region, new figures show 21 March
- Free Press: 150 miles of roads across Gwent in 'poor condition' 21 March
- Hampshire Chronicle: County transport chief Cllr Rob Humby slams government funding for state of Hampshire's roads 21 March
- Wales: The Leader: Pothole-ridden roads a "patchwork quilt" across Flintshire 9 April
The story was also covered by: BBC News at Six, BBC WM, BBC Wales and BBC Radio Kent.
Non-partner coverage:
- Staffs Live: Increase in Stoke-on-Trent roads deemed poor due to ‘ridiculous’ potholes 23 March
- Coventry Observer: Coventry will benefit from £300k fund to repair potholes and damaged roads 26 March
- Government Business: 10 per cent of local road network in poor condition 20 March
- Cycling Weekly: Britain’s pothole crisis: Over 24,000 miles of road need urgent repair 20 March
- Infrastructure Intelligence: Scottish Government announces extra £10m for road maintenance following cold snap 6 April
- World Highways: UK government pledges pothole pounds 12 April
- Bar chart: English regions with the highest percentages of roads needing repairs
- Bar chart: Welsh council areas with the highest percentages of roads needing repairs in 2016-17
- Bar chart: Ten areas in Scotland with the largest proportons of roads needing repairs or inspection 2015-17