Council highlights highways progress over the past six months

Buckinghamshire Council has shared an update on the extensive work carried out by its highways teams during the first half of the financial year, underlining the scale of activity involved in keeping the county’s roads safe, accessible and well maintained.

The council is responsible for around 2,100 miles of roads and approximately 1,500 miles of footways, plus cycleways and other public rights of way across Buckinghamshire. This vast network requires constant attention to ensure it remains safe and fit for purpose.

Investment in the network continues at pace. Over the six-month period, 156 capital schemes were completed, including 118 road resurfacing or patching projects – enough to cover the floor space of a large exhibition hall, giving residents smoother and safer journeys. The remaining 38 completed schemes were a mix of repairs and upgrades of footways, traffic signals and street lighting.

Between 1 April and 30 September 2025, crews were busy across the network, responding to emergencies, repairing defects and delivering improvement schemes.

Highlights from the past six months include:

• 902 emergency call-outs attended and made safe
• Over 7,000 defects completed within 5 and 28-day timescales
• 44,355 gullies cleaned to help prevent flooding
• Over 1.4 million m² of urban grass cut – roughly the size of 200 football pitches
• 1,506 streetlighting faults repaired to keep roads well-lit

Behind the scenes, the council has also managed the complex logistics of roadworks and compliance, processing 21,673 permit applications and carrying out 23,241 streetworks inspections. Enforcement remains an important part of the programme, with 3,939 fixed penalty notices issued for non-compliance, helping to keep disruption to a minimum and maintain safety.

Thomas Broom, Buckinghamshire Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Transport, said:

“These figures show the sheer scale of work that goes into keeping Buckinghamshire’s roads safe and in good condition. From repairing defects and cutting grass to managing permits and inspections, our teams and partners work tirelessly to deliver for residents and businesses.

“While fixing potholes is essential for safety, it’s a short-term measure and doesn’t address the root cause. The real long-term solution is resurfacing roads through sustained capital investment, and that’s where we’re focusing our efforts. We know how important well-maintained roads are for everyone who lives, works and travels in Buckinghamshire, and we’ll continue to invest in improvements and respond quickly to issues as they arise.”

Looking ahead, preparations are already underway for the winter season. The council’s gritting teams are ready to respond when temperatures drop, and plans are in place to continue resurfacing and patching works where possible during the colder months. Longer-term, investment will focus on improving drainage, upgrading streetlighting and delivering more sustainable solutions to keep Buckinghamshire moving.

View the latest updates on road improvement works taking place across Bucks.