More than 17,000 potholes have been repaired across North Northamptonshire in the past year, but 10 per cent of roads still fall into the red category as they are in poor condition and require maintenance.

North Northamptonshire Council has published its highways maintenance transparency report 2026-27 setting out how it is investing in and maintaining the area's extensive road network.

The report, published on the council’s website and submitted to the Department for Transport, highlights the scale of the network which includes more than 1850km of roads, almost 2000km of footways, 791 bridges and structures, 61 signalised junctions and 128 signalised pedestrian crossings.

Over the past year, the council says it has increased its focus on maintaining roads through a combination of preventative maintenance and reactive repairs. A new highways maintenance inspection and response framework was also approved earlier in 2026.

While 17,000 potholes have been repaired, 10 per cent of roads in North Northants fall into the red category which means they are showing poor condition and should be considered for maintenance

placeholder image — While 17,000 potholes have been repaired, 10 per cent of roads in North Northants fall into the red category which means they are showing poor condition and should be considered for maintenance

During 2025/26, highways teams repaired 17,295 potholes (compared with 14,350 in the previous year) and completed more than 45,000 square metres of additional carriageway repairs as part of an ongoing commitment to keeping roads safe across the local area.

140,000 square metres of carriageway repairs are planned for 2026/27.

But the report also highlights that the majority of roads across North Northants fall into the amber category and may need maintenance soon, with 10 per cent of roads in the red category showing poor condition and should be considered for maintenance.

The council says it is aware of the investment that is needed and the budget for highways maintenance is set to rise to £44.9 million in 2026/27, compared with £35.3 million in 2025/26 and £30.2 million in 2024/25, enabling further improvements across the network.

A comprehensive programme of works is planned for the coming year, including road resurfacing, surface dressing, drainage improvements, bridge maintenance and traffic signal upgrades.

Cllr Chris McGiffen, NNC’s executive member for highways and travel, said: "Maintaining our highways network is so vital and important.

"This report demonstrates both the scale of that challenge and the significant investment we are making to improve roads, footways, bridges and drainage infrastructure across North Northamptonshire.

"Over the last year we have repaired more than 17,000 potholes, up from 14,350 in the previous year.

"We have also carried out extensive carriageway repairs, while continuing to invest in preventative maintenance that helps stop defects developing in the first place.

"Our ‘no defect left behind’ approach means that when our teams attend a road to repair a pothole or other defect, they look to complete other defects wherever possible.

"With more than £44 million planned for highways maintenance in 2026/27, we are continuing to work on roads across the area, prioritising schemes based on condition, safety and long-term value for residents.

"This investment will help us continue improving journeys, supporting local communities and building a more resilient transport network for the future, but we know more funding and investment is needed."

North Northamptonshire Council rated amber for how it fixes potholes as part of ...

Council leader Cllr Martin Griffiths said: “The report shows that considerable progress has been made in the last year or so, but we know there is so much more we need to do to address the decades of decline and investment in our roads and pavements.

“Residents should be assured that we will do all we can in the months and years ahead with the funds we have at our disposal.”

The council's annual highways maintenance programme is developed using an evidence-led, risk-based asset management approach.

Planned works are prioritised using tools including condition surveys and a scoring system which looks at factors like safety, wider impacts and importance of the road on the wider network.

The highways maintenance transparency report has been prepared in line with Department for Transport requirements and provides residents with a detailed overview of how North Northamptonshire Council manages and maintains its highway network.

The full report can be found on the council’s website.