Darlington is among eight UK local authorities ranked ‘green’ by the DfT for road maintenance, investment, and best practices, with plans for further improvements
Darlington Borough Council Achieves ‘Green’ Rating in New Traffic Light System
The town is one of just eight local authorities across the country ranked as ‘green’ in a new traffic light ranking system devised by the Department for Transport (DfT).
The government has launched a new interactive map tool that allows drivers to check their own authority’s rank, which can be red, amber, or green. The majority of authorities have been ranked ‘amber’.
Comments from Councillor Libby McCollom
Councillor Libby McCollom, Cabinet Member for Local Service at Darlington Borough Council, told The Northern Echo that the rating is good news but emphasized that the authority will always “look to improve.”
She stated, “Residents are not going to believe we have achieved such a rating. It’s based on three different categories: road condition, investment, and best practice.”
“We’ve been rated green, which reflects the hard-working, effective team across the borough and our commitment to investing in infrastructure,” she added.
McCollom also mentioned, “But we aren’t going to sit on our laurels. This new Labour government is looking to commit additional funding and support to councils to resolve issues like potholes.”
“Residents should expect the best. They are right to expect roads to be maintained to high standards,” she continued.
“We will always look to improve our practice and we look forward to working with the local authority and the DfT on how to do that.”
Traffic Light Ranking Details
In the new mapping tool, 154 local highway authorities have been rated as red, amber, or green. Among those classified as red are:
| Authority | Location |
|---|---|
| Cumberland | Cumbria |
| Bolton | Greater Manchester |
| Leicestershire | N/A |
| Suffolk | N/A |
| Kensington and Chelsea | West London |
Green authorities, in addition to Darlington, include Essex, Wiltshire, Coventry (West Midlands), Leeds (West Yorkshire), and County Durham.
According to the DfT, these authorities demonstrated they are following “best practice” by investing in long-term preventative measures and maintaining good road conditions.
Red authorities will receive “dedicated support to bring them into line with best practices” through a £300,000 programme.
Funding for Local Road Maintenance
Total local road maintenance funding for England provided by the Government in the 2025/26 financial year was nearly £1.6 billion, representing a £500 million uplift compared to the previous year.
A quarter of the extra money was withheld until the end of last year after authorities had set out their spending plans.
In November’s budget, the Government committed to providing a total of £7.3 billion for local road maintenance funding for the four years up to and including 2029/30.
Statement from Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated, “For too long drivers have paid the price because our roads were left to deteriorate.”
She added, “I have heard time and again their frustration on footing the bill because they hit a pothole – money they should never have to spend in the first place.”
“We’ve put our money where our mouth is, increasing the funding for local highway authorities with £7.3 billion to fix roads and given them the long-term certainty they have been asking for,” Alexander continued.
“Now it’s over to them to spend the money wisely, and for the first time we are making sure the public can see how well councils are doing in delivering the improvements they want to see in their local area.”
“This Government’s record investment will save drivers money on repairs, make roads safer, and help restore pride in our communities,” she concluded.
