Main roads in Brighton and Hove are in a poorer state than anywhere else in England, new government figures show.
More than one in six A roads in the city – 17 per cent – are classified as red, meaning they should have been considered for maintenance.
The figures, released today by the Department for Transport, say that 27 per cent more are classified as amber.
This is a rise on the figures for 2025, which were 14 per cent red and 33 per cent amber respectively.
In 2024, the figures were 18 per cent red and 26 per cent amber, and in 2023 6 per cent red and 38 per cent amber.
The figures refer to the amount of road length in each local authority area, not the number of roads.
Some 45% of councils across England reported an increase between 2024 and 2026 in the proportion of ‘A’ road classed as red.
A total of 147 authorities reported data on the condition of A roads for both the years ending March 2024 and March 2026.
Of the 147, 66 (45%) saw a rise across this period in the proportion of A road categorised as red, while 53 (36%) saw no change and 28 (19%) saw a drop.
Nottingham reported the second highest proportion, at 15%, followed by Brent in London (14%) and Salford and North Tyneside (both 13%).
Not all councils use the same type of equipment for carrying out surveys of road conditions, the DfT said.
This means the method for categorising a road surface as red, or poor, may vary between areas.
The data for A roads includes stretches of motorway managed by local authorities.
15 years of Labour Council neglect.
14 years of Tory cuts dim low
Brighton council found no shortage of money for building cycling lanes that benefit less than 0.2 percent of the population, not too mention countless other vanity projects, including a lift to nowhere
The more people who cycle in the city for all or some of their journeys, the less damage there will be to the roads. Cycles do not damage the roads
Because the Transport Dept pish all the budget away on unused cycle lanes
Not surprising reall to bothered about cycle lanes the road outside the Hospital they are building has a sink hole which is getting biger manhole cover is dangerous yet we are supposed to drive over it its a major accident waiting to happen but this woke pathetic Labour concil have to have their cycle lanes which are empty in the winter and their new super duper red routs which they voted for behind closed doors again but then i suppose if there is a multi car pile up at least its right outside the hospital
This is the council who want to spread their influence over Saltdean and Peacehaven. No thanks
The worst roads in England & a Labour Council with one of the lowest payouts for damages submitted by residents in the country from pothole claims.
B&H council has one of the highest levels of income from parking fees in the country. There is no excuse for the roads not to be well maintained. Successive councils have used this windfall that many other councils would love to have, on other transport projects not core road maintenance. There is no excuse. Even if the focus of the B&H Transport Team is on cycling (as many other comments state), potholes cause serious damage and injury to cyclists. What is an inconvenience, possibly damaged tyres/wheels, to a car driver is an injury to cyclists and motorcyclists. Potholes are something all transport users agree on, so why hasn’t the council, flush with one of the highest parking excesses in the country, over £20m per year, not fixed this year after year?