How we maintain local roads, pavements, and the wider highway network in Torbay
Torbay's highway network is predominantly urban, reflecting the densely developed nature of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. Most roads operate within lower speed environments and support high levels of traffic, public transport, active travel, local businesses and access to essential services. The classified road network (A, B and C roads), largely subject to 30mph speed limits, provides the key links between the three towns and plays a critical role in supporting economic activity and connectivity.
In addition to the urban network, Torbay maintains a smaller rural highway network that provides vital access to outlying communities and local destinations.
Torbay Council is responsible for maintaining a substantial highway asset portfolio, including carriageways, footways, structures, drainage, street lighting, traffic signals and other highway infrastructure.
A significant challenge is the continuing gap between available funding and maintenance need. Unlike many authorities with predominantly rural networks, Torbay's compact urban network experiences consistently high traffic volumes, resulting in accelerated asset deterioration and increased maintenance demands. Consequently, investment requirements continue to exceed available resources, making it increasingly challenging to maintain the network in a safe, resilient and serviceable condition while meeting the expectations of residents, businesses and visitors.
Councils use road condition surveys to assess the state of their roads. The results are grouped into three categories:
The published official statistics for road condition include more detail about the methodology, timing and coverage of this data.
| Year | Percentage of road in red category | Percentage of road in amber category | Percentage of road in green category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2.6% | 20% | 77.4% |
| 2024 | 3.9% | 23.8% | 72.5% |
| 2025 | 3.1% | 21.5% | 75.4% |
| Year | Percentage of road in red category | Percentage of road in amber category | Percentage of road in green category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 6.4% | 32.3% | 61.2% |
| 2024 | 8.7% | 31.4% | 59.9% |
| 2025 | 6.6% | 31% | 62.4% |
| Year | Percentage of road in red category |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 5% |
| 2024 | 3% |
| 2025 | 3.5% |
We undertake annual condition surveys of the classified road network in partnership with WDM LTD, using their scanner system. In addition, the condition of our unclassified network is assessed on a rolling basis, focusing on streets within the highest tiers of our maintenance hierarchy.
As a predominantly urban authority, some roads designated as ‘unclassified’ still perform an important function, providing key links between business areas, industrial estates, and residential developments. Although these routes are formally lower in the hierarchy, their strategic importance means they are treated as a higher priority and are therefore subject to more frequent inspections.
Our definition of a pothole is:
‘An area of the carriageway, footway or cycleway where material is lost, creating an irregular vertical edge around a depressed area. This defect is often preceded by cracking’ and can present significant risks to both highway users and the fabric of the surface.’
Highway inspections are undertaken by a team of four Highway Inspectors, managed by the Network Manager, who are responsible for monitoring the adopted highway network, including carriageways and footways. Inspections are carried out in accordance with Torbay Council's Highway Inspection Policy, which adopts a fully risk-based approach to identifying and managing defects.
In 2025/26, approximately 4,244 potholes were repaired across the network through a combination of targeted pothole repairs and larger-scale patching works. Rather than relying on fixed dimensional criteria, defects are assessed using a range of risk factors, including location, visibility, road hierarchy, user type and the potential consequences of failure.
Our approach is centred on delivering the right repair at the right time. While temporary or interim repairs may occasionally be required, our objective is to provide durable, cost-effective solutions that address the underlying condition of the asset and minimise repeat visits wherever possible.
Torbay's annual capital maintenance programme includes a mix of reconstruction, resurfacing and surface dressing treatments. These works are delivered through SWISCo, Torbay Council's wholly owned service delivery company, using specialist subcontractors where appropriate.
Investment priorities are determined through a combination of quantitative and qualitative data sources, including SCANNER condition survey results, SCRIM skid-resistance data, pothole clustering analysis, reactive maintenance expenditure, highway inspections and customer reports. This evidence-led approach enables the Council to target funding where it will achieve the greatest benefit for network condition, safety and resilience.
We currently offer a reporting tool via the Service Request List on SWISCo, which feeds directly into the Abavus CRM system. Defects reported through this platform are investigated and logged in Mayrise.
Once a pothole or highway defect is reported, it will be inspected within three working days. If the inspection determines that the defect presents a sufficient risk, a repair works order will be raised. Depending on the nature of the repair required, the works order will either be allocated to an engineer for further assessment or, where a priority response is necessary, automatically assigned to the operations team for repair.
| Highway maintenance | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 (projected) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total spend on highways maintenance | £5,506,000 | £6,598,500 | £6,324,390 |
| Spent on carriageways | £766,776.96 | £2,194,938.98 | £2,269,000 |
| Spent on footways | £256,490.45 | £469,857.05 | £320,000 |
| Structures (for example bridges or tunnels) | £286,452.50 | £154,072.40 | £180,000 |
| Drainage | £253,410.10 | £645,366.09 | £300,000 |
| Street lighting (including Energy) | £1,389,797.23 | £1,261,784.19 | £1,400,000 |
| Other assets | £0 | £0 | £77,000 |
| Funding sources for highways maintenance | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 (projected) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funding received through the Department for Transport / UK Government | £2,118,000 | £4,009,190 | £3,103,000 |
| [if applicable]: Additional highways maintenance funding provided by the Council or third parties | £3,429,000 | £3,652,500 | £3,652,500 |
| Total | £5,547,000 | £7,661,690 | £6,324,390 |
| Street Name | Length | Unit | Repair | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Higher Warborough Road | 616 | m | Surface Dressing | |
| Manor Vale Road | 420 | m | Surface Dressing | |
| Manor Bend | 461 | m | Surface Dressing | |
| Barnfield Close | 428 | m | Surface Dressing | |
| Vale Close | 97 | m | Surface Dressing | |
| Brunel Road | 803 | m | Surface Dressing | |
| Lower Fowden | 564 | m | Surface Dressing | |
| Long Wools | 318 | m | Surface Dressing | |
| Winner Street | 215 | m | Reconstruction and Resurfacing | |
| Hellevoetsluis Way (A380) | 400 | m | Reconstruction and Resurfacing | |
| Fleet Street | 25 | m | Reconstruction and Resurfacing | |
| Tweenaway Cross (A385/A3022) | 625 | m2 | Reconstruction and Resurfacing | Major Junction |
| Dartmouth Road (A3022) | 1.1 | km | Reconstruction and Resurfacing | |
| Torbay Road (A379) | 400 | m | Reconstruction and resurfacing | |
| Marldon Road (B3060) | 70x4 | m | Reconstruction and Resurfacing | |
| Smallcombe Road | 100 | m | Reconstruction and Resurfacing | |
| Mincent Hill | 400 | m | Footway Replacement and Reconstruction | 850m2 |
Our strategy is to maximise the value of available funding by delivering the right treatment at the right time, extending asset life and reducing the need for more costly reconstruction and resurfacing. Where roads have reached the end of their serviceable life, full reconstruction remains an important part of our capital programme.
A risk-based highway inspection regime, aligned with our Highways Asset Management Policy and Strategy, supports this approach, with priority given to strategic routes, public transport corridors and resilient network links.
For footways, we are transitioning from traditional modular surfaces to more durable bitumen-based materials in residential and district centre locations, while continuing to address defects identified through our inspection regime across the network. Modular footway surfaces will continue to be used in higher-profile locations where they remain the most appropriate solution.
Annual condition surveys undertaken with WDM LTD inform investment decisions and performance monitoring. We are also exploring the use of artificial intelligence to improve our understanding of asset condition and identify opportunities for earlier intervention, helping to enhance network performance, resilience and value for money.