A leading Coventry City Councillor has welcomed the announcement that the Council has been awarded a green rating for its approach to tackling potholes.
The rating, announced by the Department for Transport, reflects Coventry’s strong performance in road condition, capital investment, and best practice. The new system aims to provide transparency for residents and incentivises councils to deliver high-quality road maintenance.
The Government has allocated £7.3 billion investment in local highways maintenance over the next four years, including an additional £500 million this financial year. Coventry will benefit from this funding as part of the West Midlands Combined Authority allocation, which includes £9,048,000 in incentive funding for the WMCA area over 2026/27.
Cllr Patricia Hetherton, Cabinet Member for City Services, said:
"We are delighted Coventry has achieved a green rating under the new national system. This reflects the hard work and investment we’ve put into maintaining and improving our roads for residents and businesses. Good roads are vital for safety, connectivity, and economic growth, and we will continue to adopt best practice and innovative solutions to keep Coventry moving.“Coventry has always been a city of innovation, and we’re proud to be leading the way once again, setting the standard not only for safer roads but also greener roads. This recognition of our work, we are one of only 16 councils across the country to be ranked green, also backs our decision to invest in this area with additional funding.”
Coventry is not only maintaining its roads to the highest standards but also pioneering sustainable solutions. Last year, the city trialled eco-friendly materials on Broad Lane and Willenhall Lane using extra cash from the Department for Transport, aimed at reducing carbon emissions and maintenance costs while creating cleaner, greener neighbourhoods. This builds on previous work using recycled rubber pellets on roads in Cheylesmore.
This project builds on the Council’s use of innovative materials to resurface roads in the city, which has already included using recycled tyres on a number of roads in Cheylesmore in recent years.
In early 2025, Coventry invested £20 million in 160 projects to proactively repair roads and pavements, improve flood protection, and enhance road safety. This included innovative use of the Pothole Pro machine and measures to extend the life of repairs such as kerb line improvements and junction upgrades. These improvements ensure the network is ready for projects like Coventry Very Light Rail, all-electric buses, and segregated cycleways, supporting the city’s climate change goals and sustainable growth.
The full list of ratings for all local highway authorities was published on gov.uk on 11 January.