Lancashire County Council’s highways performance index scored 8.7 out of 10 for April to June 2026, exceeding the current target of 7.3. Yet the target itself has dropped from nine, which was in place during 2025, stirring debate about the meaningfulness of the figures.
The council has not published quarterly highways data since October 2025 due to a change in IT systems. At a cabinet meeting in February 2026, Cabinet member Warren Goldsworthy described the previous figures as "no longer accurate." The new index combines road condition and maintenance of associated assets into a single score out of 10.
The index replaces detailed response-time data
Previously, Lancashire reported pothole repairs with breakdowns by response time. Those detailed figures are no longer available. The council has not explained why the individual response-time measures, which include a 20-day maximum repair target for potholes, were dropped.
Goldsworthy said on 15 October that no pothole currently waits longer than the 20 days allowed for repair. He called opposition criticism “anecdotal nonsense” and said that targets are set by highways officers, not elected members.
Opposition challenges the lowered target
Opposition councillors note that the 8.7 figure would have fallen short of the previous nine-point target. Conservative Peter Buckley told the meeting: "So, yes, you are above target, but that is because the target value has reduced." Conservative group leader Aidy Riggott said at least one reported pothole had remained unrepaired beyond 20 days.
Liberal Democrat Mark Jewell described the first set of new statistics as a “baseline” and said improvements should be sustained before being celebrated. His colleague David Whipp criticised the administration’s reporting as resembling “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”
Temporary patches versus permanent repairs
The removal of detailed response times makes it harder to assess the real condition of the network. Quick temporary patches may count as on-time repairs but often fail within weeks. The previous breakdowns helped users understand the difference between speedy fixes and lasting repairs.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service requested the council to explain the combination of repair statistics into one index and asked for the supporting data behind the 8.7 April to June score. No response had been provided by the time of publication.
Until detailed figures are published, contractors, local authorities and road users can only assess performance by the reported index score and the lowered target, without the former insight into actual response times.
