New research conducted by car check experts Motorscan has identified the regions in England with the most deteriorating roads based on data from the Department for Transport. The analysis focused on the average percentage of roads requiring maintenance between 2018 and 2023.
The study revealed that Southend-on-Sea has the highest percentage of B and C roads in need of maintenance at 24.6% during the specified period, making it the area with the worst roads in England. Additionally, 15.6% of A roads in the region also require maintenance.
In second place is Derbyshire, where 14.7% of A roads and 21.2% of B and C roads need maintenance on average between 2018 and 2023.
Hackney, as the first London borough on the list, comes in third place with 16% of A roads and 9% of B and C roads requiring maintenance on average during the same period.
The city of Derby’s local authority is ranked fourth, with 9.7% of A roads and 14% of B and C roads needing maintenance between 2018 and 2023.
Rounding out the top five is Newham, the second London borough on the list, with 12.3% of A roads and 11.4% of B and C roads requiring maintenance between 2018 and 2023.
The top ten England areas with the worst roads
| Rank | Local Authority | Average percentage of A roads requiring maintenance 2018-2023 | Average percentage of B and C roads requiring maintenance 2018-2023 |
| 1 | Southend-on-Sea | 15.6% | 24.6% |
| 2 | Derbyshire | 14.7% | 21.2% |
| 3 | Hackney | 16.0% | 9.0% |
| 4 | Derby UA | 9.7% | 14.0% |
| 5 | Newham | 12.3% | 11.4% |
| 6 | Lambeth | 14.0% | 8.5% |
| 7 | Brent | 11.8% | 10.0% |
| 8 | Hammersmith and Fulham | 5.5% | 15.0% |
| 9 | Shropshire | 6.5% | 12.4% |
| 10 | Liverpool | 7.7% | 10.3% |
Commenting on these findings, Oliver Thompson, Head of Vehicle Intelligence at Motorscan, emphasized that road maintenance issues are widespread across different regions in the country, even affecting London boroughs. Poor road maintenance not only poses risks to vehicles but also jeopardizes road safety in general.