Claimants' comments on Police facial recognition judgment

Liverpool roads named among UK's worst in shock new rankings

WEST Northamptonshire has the worst roads in the UK, with a final score of:- 47.13. Covering Towns like:- Northampton, Daventry, and Towcester, just:- 24.5% of its A roads and motorways are rated Green, while a striking:- 71% fall into the Amber category, indicating:- significant wear and the need for repairs. Even more concerning, 5% of these major routes are rated red, showing serious damage. The situation is similar on:- B and C roads, where only:- 9.5% are in good condition:- 72.5% sit at Amber, and 17.5% classified as red. West Northamptonshire has the worst:- B and C roads in the country.

West Northamptonshire Council has committed to a substantial:- £100 million capital investment for the:- 2025/26 period, rising to:- £155 million over the next 4 years. Approximately £14.6 million of this budget is allocated specifically for road maintenance.  The Council plans to complete:- 6.79 kilometres of micro asphalt and:- 13.2 kilometres of surface dressing as part of its carriageway preventative maintenance approach. Additionally, 1.4 kilometres of carriageway will be resurfaced, and 2 structures will be repaired, with minor maintenance on a further 3 bridges and structures.

Derbyshire is 2nd, with a final score of:- 46.60. Only 35.2% of its A roads and motorways are rated Green, while a concerning:- 20.4% fall into the Red category, the highest in the UK. B and C roads are even worse, with just:- 25.2% rated:- Green and 27% classified as:- Red.  In response to these challenges, Derbyshire County Council has committed to a:- £41 million investment in road maintenance for the:- 2025/26 period. Approximately £24 million of this budget is allocated specifically for road repair schemes, targeting key:- A, B, and residential roads across the county. Initiatives includes a:- £3.6 million surface dressing programme at:- 57 sites, micro asphalt repairs to:- 79 residential roads costing:- £930,000, and patching work at:- 111 sites to prepare for future resurfacing efforts. 

In 3rd is North Northamptonshire, with a final score of:- 44.75. Only 26% of its A roads and motorways are rated Green, with a very high:- 71%, in Amber and:- 3% in Red. For B and C roads, only:- 8% are rated:- Green, while a whopping:- 82% are Amber and 10% are Red.  North Northamptonshire Council allocated around:- £14 million for highway maintenance in:- 2024/25, focusing on surface treatments and patching works to extend road life and reduce potholes. This includes micro asphalt applications on over:- 8 kilometres of carriageway and surface dressing on approximately:- 10 kilometres. The Council operates dedicated teams for pothole repairs, aiming to fix over:- 1,000 potholes each week.

Bristol City is 4th, with a final score of:- 43.85.  27.8% of its A roads and motorways are rated Green, while:- 63.2% fall into the Amber category, and 8.8% are in:- Red. B and C roads are also poor, with only:- 14.8% rated Green, 74.6% Amber, and 10% red. Bristol City Council allocated over:- £23 million for road maintenance in the:- 2024/25 financial year, combining:- £17 million in capital funding with nearly:- £7 million in revenue spending. About 78% of this budget was dedicated to preventative maintenance like resurfacing and surface treatments aimed at extending the lifespan of roads, while the remaining:- 22% covered reactive repairs such as pothole filling. 

In 5th is Southend on Sea, with a final score of:- 40.90.  Only 40.6% of its A roads and motorways are rated:- Green, while 47% are:- Amber and 12.6% fall into the:- Red category. On B and C roads, just:- 28.2% are rated Green, with over:- 51.8% in Amber and nearly 20% in red.  In 2024/25, Southend on Sea Borough Council allocated approximately:- £8.5 million specifically for highway maintenance. This included:- £5 million capital funding focused on:- resurfacing and preventative treatments. Reactive maintenance accounted for around:- £3.5 million, covering pothole repairs and urgent fixes.

Surprisingly, Westminster appears in the Top 10 worst areas despite being 1 of the wealthiest London boroughs. While 64% of its A roads are in good condition, only:- 12% of its:- B and C roads achieve:- Green status, with:- 16.5% in red.

On the other end of the spectrum, Sunderland has the best roads, with a final score of:- 7.30. 87.6% of its A roads and motorways are rated:- Green, and just 1% are red. B and C roads also show strong performance, with:- 85.4% rated:- Green and, once again, only 1% falling into poor condition. 

Middlesbrough has the 2nd best roads, while Leeds lands 3rd.

Ashley Wing, CMO 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. Liverpool's position in the top 10 is a concern, particularly given the pressure on Merseyside's road network from both commuter and freight traffic. 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."
 

Rank	Authority	Final Score
1	West Northamptonshire	47.13
2	Derbyshire	46.60
3	North Northamptonshire	44.75
4	Bristol, City of	43.85
5	Southend-on-Sea	40.90
6	Bath and Northeast Somerset	40.13
7	Bradford	39.42
8	Liverpool	37.39
9	Cheshire West and Chester	37
10	Westminster	36.13
11	Blackpool	34.75
12	Derby	34.27
13	Nottingham	33.88
14	Knowsley	33.45
15	Hammersmith and Fulham	32.75
16	Merton	32.56
17	Wirral	31.88
18	Blackburn with Darwen	29.60
19	Hackney	29.25
20	St Helens	28.50
21	Stockport	28.35
22	Southwark	28
23	Northamptonshire	27.75
24	Lambeth	27.63
25	City of London	27.42
26	Cambridgeshire	27.38
27	Barnet	27.25
28	Newham	26.63
29	Camden	26.50
29	Havering	26.50
31	Islington	26.38
32	Haringey	26.25
33	Croydon	25.69
34	Barking and Dagenham	24.50
35	Ealing	23.63
36	Devon	23.60
37	Westmorland and Furness	23.50
38	Richmond upon Thames	22.75
39	Brighton and Hove	22.70
40	Tower Hamlets	21.75
40	Wandsworth	21.75
42	Lewisham	21.13
43	Herefordshire, County of	20.90
44	Cumbria	20.88
45	Shropshire	20.85
46	Brent	20.83
47	Norfolk	20.70
48	Leicester	20.69
49	Kent	20.52
50	North Tyneside	20.42

Road surface data was retrieved from:- Gov.UK.