The Department for Transport mandates that all local highway authorities disclose their highway maintenance activities. This transparency allows local taxpayers to understand how funding is being utilized in their communities.
Local Highways Maintenance Transparency Report
Torbay Council's Adopted Highway Network primarily consists of urban roads, with a smaller portion of rural roads and footways. Most of the classified road network (A, B, and C roads) are 30mph zones, serving as strategic routes between towns and facilitating active travel for buses and cyclists.
Torbay Council follows the Maintenance Hierarchy established by the Southwest Highways Alliance. The entire carriageway and footway network is valued at over £700 million in gross replacement cost. Additionally, Torbay Council and SWISCo Highways are responsible for maintaining 18,000 mixed street lighting units, 56 signalised traffic junctions, and 50 crossings, 30 VMS signs, and 7 Key Highways CCTV sites.
Our classified and strategic network provides the key links to Devon, through the A380, via the South Devon Link Road and the A385, which provides the gateways between Devon and Torbay and the wider National Strategic Network.
Our high-speed network comprises of a length of dual carriageway situated between the South Devon Link Road and our eastern and western corridors linking Paignton and Brixham to Torquay. Maintenance responsibility for this section is shared with Devon County Council.
| Year | Capital allocated by DfT (£,000s) | Capital spend (£,000s) | Revenue spend (£,000s) | Estimate of % spent on preventative maintenance | Estimate of % spent on reactive maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (projected) | £2,819 (including 25% local authority) | £2,819 (projected) | £3,652 | 72% | 28% |
| 2024/25 | £2,065 | £2,065 | £3,429 | 73% | 27% |
| 2023/24 | £2,866 | £2,866 | £3,243 | 75% | 25% |
| 2022/23 | £1,633 | £1,633 | £2,518 | 75% | 25% |
| 2021/22 | £3,031 | £3,031 | £2,449 | 76% | 24% |
| 2020/21 | £2,749 | £2,749 | £2,569 | 75% | 25% |
Restraint systems on our network undergo minor ad-hoc inspections during our driven highways inspections. However, our infrastructure engineer, with support from HWMartin, has a scheduled system for visual inspections and testing.
Due to rising costs and a progressively deteriorating network, there has been an increase in reconstruction and resurfacing projects. Thin overlay sites are now mainly focused on refreshing entire estates and areas with the highest skid resistance risks. Torbay Council aims to optimize its budget by prioritizing urgent maintenance needs, addressing roads that require upkeep to maintain their condition, and implementing preventative measures to extend the lifespan of roads through cost-effective maintenance.
In addition to our inspections and support for the reconstruction/resurfacing program, Torbay Council commissions its wholly owned Service provision company, SWISCo, with assistance from their specialist consultant, WDM, to conduct the UKPMS Scanner Surveys annually on a predetermined route. This route includes our classified network and the highest maintenance hierarchy unclassified network. Additionally, a yearly SCRIM testing scheme is carried out to detect areas where skidding risk is high.
A Class Carriageway (Road) Condition Data is collected each year by Scanner Survey by WDM
| Year | Red % | Amber % | Green % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3 | 20 | 77 |
| 2021 | 2.4 | 20 | 77.6 |
| 2022 | 2.5 | 20 | 77.5 |
| 2023 | 2.6 | 20 | 77.4 |
| 2024 | 3.9 | 23.8 | 72.5 |
B&C Class Carriageway (Road) Data is collected each year by Scanner Survey by WDM
| Year | Red % | Amber % | Green % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 5.3 | 33.2 | 61.4 |
| 2021 | 5.3 | 33.2 | 61.4 |
| 2022 | 5.4 | 33.1 | 61.4 |
| 2023 | 6.4 | 32.3 | 61.2 |
| 2024 | 8.7 | 31.4 | 59.9 |
U Class Carriageway (Road) Data is collected each year by Scanner Survey by WDM
| Year | Percentage of U Roads in the Red category |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 4.13% |
| 2021 | 4.13% |
| 2022 | 5% |
| 2023 | 5% |
| 2024 | 3% |
SWISCo, on behalf of Torbay Council have commissioned RoadMetrics AI to undertake a 2-year assessment of the U Class Network using an Artificial Intelligence survey and data analysis method. The U Class network of Torbay is predominantly estate roads, with some strategic routes providing access to other wards and trading estates. Roadmetrics have committed to adopting PAS2161 and consulted with the DfT on the new Data Standard.
Road condition assessments on the local classified road network in England are currently made predominantly using Surface Condition Assessment for the National Network of Roads (SCANNER) laser-based technology.
A number of parameters measured in these surveys are used to produce a road condition indicator which is categorised into three condition categories:
From 2026/27 a new methodology will be used based on the BSI PAS2161 standard. Local Highway 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 government gain a more detailed understanding of road condition in England.
Further details are available at Road condition statistics: data tables (RDC)
Our overall Transport Asset Management Policy and Strategy focuses on Safety, Serviceability and Sustainability, and with the intention of providing best value for budget and investment. This policy influenced a major change in our Highway Inspection Manual in 2024 with a total overhaul and a full move to a risk-based approach to highway defects, responses and repairs as well as a re-design of our Maintenance Hierarchy with consideration to all highway users and influenced by including more transportation options to encourage active travel and the use of public transport.
Strategic policies of the Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Policy and Strategy are due for review in 2026.
In response to the Department for Transport's (DfT) call for highway authorities to adopt a risk-based approach, as outlined in the Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure Guidance from HMEP, we have overhauled our inspection manual systems and operational responses. This renovation aims to minimize our site attendances, which is a significant operational challenge for sustainable working and carbon reduction. By addressing defects correctly the first time, we reduce the need for repeated site visits, thereby lowering our carbon footprint. Our carbon reduction team is currently investigating the impact of this 'Right-First Time' approach on reducing re-attendance and overall carbon expenditure.
Torbay Council’s overall strategy for 2025 to 2026 is to practice a ‘right first time’ approach to highways repairs and this is being led by SWISCo on its behalf, investing in new equipment and innovation. Our plan for resurfacing involves specifying more surfacing in Polymer Modified Binder (PMB) materials, which are less prone to heaving and rutting. For roundabout and traffic signal approaches, we are aiming to use more standardised materials with a 68PSV aggregate, reducing the need for additional High Friction Surfacing. which adds higher maintenance costs and renewal costs over the lifespan of the surface.
Local quarry sourcing is integrated into the tender process, with an aim for a reduction in carbon emissions through less transportation of materials and promoting local employment with a locally based employer. We allocate around 10% of our capital funding for surface dressing overlays, including minor pre-patching and surface preparation, using locally sourced operational teams.
Our thin overlay surfacing scheme is programmed to be undertaken in August, with a focus on a mix of estate roads requiring minor renewal and the strategic northbound section of the A380 Hamelin Way.
We estimate that due to a deteriorating asset, we will be consistently increasing the amount of ‘potholes and defects we attend to, however with the introduction of new methods of excavation with the new equipment, we believe that we will be undertaking more patching and less reactive temporary repairs.
Estimate of number of number of potholes filled
Percentage Increase of ‘potholes filled’ Year on Year
Total increase percentage of Potholes filled
I would expect 2024/2025 figure to rise by at minimum by 7% to 4870 potholes repaired in the 2025/2026 year.
The Highway Authority responds to maintenance issues and public reports, while also planning and carrying out maintenance and preventative works. Below, we have outlined the works scheduled for the next 12 months, along with estimated figures
During 2025/2026, SWISCo, on behalf of Torbay Council aim to
Torbay Council and SWISCo have developed a new Streetworks Policy in response to the 2023 national guidance changes. The Streetworks team consists of three staff members, including a dedicated officer responsible for reinstatement inspections, on-site inspections, and responding to third-party reports of issues. New tools such as One.Network allow us to collaborate on works that are either cross boundary or require diversions across network boundaries allowing for real time augmentation of streetworks permit advertising and future adoption of their TTRO toolset will allow us to share that information with our colleagues at Devon County Council.
Torbay is currently publishing its new Traffic Sensitive Street register in accordance with National Street Gazetteer deadlines to minimize disruption to the network, promote site-sharing and collaboration. A comprehensive review of the Reinstatement Hierarchy is scheduled for 2025/2026
As part of, and in response to the We have made steps to reduce carbon output through the following tasks;
A replacement programme for our ageing maintenance vehicles to newer Euro standard or electric models and disposing of older diesel or petrol vehicles
Better works planning to reduce the amount of ‘dead travel’ required between sites and including the use of excess material to be used in areas where reactive maintenance concerns are less prevalent, and this material can be used to sustain the fabric of the network.
Supported licencing and installation of cable trunking as a service to members of the public where off-street parking isn’t available. Currently this scheme is being supported by Devon County Council and KerboCharge on a trial basis. On-street charging apparatus is being explored with a combination of new charging points and using the existing street lighting infrastructure to reduce the barriers to ownership of an EV.
It is planned that the Highways Structural Maintenance Capital Allocation with an indicative value of £ 2,819k for 2025/26 to be delivered with the following priorities with budgets approximately apportioned by the percentages shown: