Managing highway infrastructure
We manage our highway infrastructure by effective highways asset management and compliance with the principles of the Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure: Code of Practice (WMHI).
Local Highway Maintenance Transparency Report
We publish our Kent Local Highway Maintenance Transparency Report to:
- meet the Department for Transport's (DfT) requirements
- make sure we receive the maximum grant funding possible
- show how we maintain our highway network.
The core part of this report includes:
- what highway assets we maintain
- the condition of our roads
- how we manage potholes and other defects
- what we spend on highway maintenance
- our upcoming maintenance plans.
Read the Kent Local Highways Maintenance Transparency report - Core Report (PDF, 194.1 KB)
It also includes a separate technical annex to provide more detail about our service and how we manage our highway assets. This supports the DfT in assessing our performance in maintaining our highway network.
Read the Kent Local Highways Maintenance Transparency report - Technical Annex (PDF, 520.7 KB)
Highways asset management
Since our Highway Asset Management Plan (HAMP) was published in 2021, our approach to highways asset management has been strengthened by various measures to implement and embed the WMHI.
As a result, we have been able to consistently demonstrate:
- we are a competent highway authority
- the case for additional funding
- we are not negligent as a Highway Authority so that we can put forward a defence in any claim as required under the Highways Act.
Despite making significant progress, we, like other highways authorities, are in an increasingly challenging environment, dealing with deteriorating assets, increasing traffic volumes, and significantly increased costs. We therefore developed our HAMP to set out a clear investment strategy and associated action plan so it's fit for purpose and recognises the challenges and opportunities we continue to face.
We now look after our roads as a long-term job instead of planning one year at a time. The plan shows that having steady funding and using the same approach over several years helps us deliver a more efficient service with better outcomes.
Our highways asset management plan is outlined in the following strategy documents:
- Highways Asset Management Plan 2021/22 to 2025/26 (PDF, 2.8 MB)
- HAMP Appendix A: Summary of Asset Condition (PDF, 226.7 KB)
- HAMP Appendix B: Service Level Risk Assessments (PDF, 1.8 MB)
- HAMP Appendix C: Forward Works Programme (PDF, 4.9 MB)
With the 5 year period covered by this document drawing to a close, we are currently reviewing and updating this document for expected publication in 2027.
Since our highways asset management plan was published, we have produced a revised 5 year forward works programme to cover 2026/27 to 2030/31:
As part of our asset management approach we have defined a resilient highway network in Kent: