York Faces £102M Highways Maintenance Backlog Despite Increased Investment

City of York Council has revealed that bringing its highways network up to an optimal standard would require an estimated £102 million, underlining the scale of the maintenance challenge facing the authority.

The figure highlights a significant backlog across the city’s roads, footways and wider infrastructure, at a time when demand for improved network conditions remains high from residents, businesses and visitors.

The council manages around 800km of roads, 1,000km of footways and a further 250km of shared-use paths and cycleways, alongside associated assets such as drainage systems, street lighting and bridges.

For the 2026/27 financial year, the council has committed £16.5 million to highways maintenance—an increase of around 50% compared with the previous year. The funding package combines £8.8 million from the council’s own budget with additional support from the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Of this, £10.7 million is allocated specifically to highways works, with further investment directed towards drainage, bridges, street lighting and heritage assets such as York’s historic walls.

Planned works include:

• Carriageway patching, resurfacing and surface dressing to extend road life

• Footway repairs and improvements

• Reactive maintenance, including addressing defects such as sinkholes

• Bridge maintenance and structural works

• Drainage upgrades to improve resilience

• Investment in integrated transport schemes, including road safety and traffic signals

Despite the increased funding, council officials acknowledge that resources remain insufficient to address the full backlog, meaning a prioritised, risk-based approach will continue to guide investment decisions.

Cllr Kate Ravilious, the council’s Labour transport spokesperson, said the programme represents a significant step forward but not a complete solution, noting that sustained investment will be required over the long term.

Government assessments currently rate York’s highways maintenance performance as “amber”, in line with many other authorities, with officials highlighting the importance of continued focus on preventative maintenance to slow further deterioration.

The council said its strategy is to target both the worst-affected areas and assets at risk of rapid decline, ensuring repairs are carried out at the most effective point in their lifecycle to maximise value and network performance.