The Department for Transport’s (DfT) new road condition monitoring standard, PAS 2161:2024, represents a landmark update for English local roads.
Developed with the British Standards Institute and TRL, it will…
“... transform the use of data in highway maintenance by introducing innovative new methods for monitoring the condition of classified local roads in England, while ensuring the quality and comparability of road condition data across the country” (UK Roads Leadership Group, 2025)
This marks an historic step forward in the adoption of technology and the drive for greater efficiency - both long overdue. In practical terms, however, there are changes to adopt. Its rollout gives local authorities and councils clear, consistent standards and rules to follow for collecting and reporting road data - replacing older, often perceived as ‘ad hoc’ methods.
For context, the UK’s road network is a £400 billion public asset, so keeping it in good shape is a high priority. Road condition data collection therefore remains vital; it helps councils plan and prioritise maintenance, and the DfT publishes it as official statistics so that central government and the public can track the health of the national network.
What is Changing?
PAS 2161 moves UK road monitoring from a single technology approach (the SCANNER standard) to a choice of approved technologies. Instead of being locked into one data collection method, councils can now select from a list of PAS 2161 compliant solutions offered by different suppliers. Crucially, condition reporting will switch from Red-Amber-Green ratings to a new 1–5 scale: “1” means essentially no deterioration, and “5” indicates severe deterioration (in practice, the level of work needed to restore the road). This finer scale aims to give engineers a clearer idea of when a surface is about to fail and mitigate risk and deterioration more proactively.
At the same time, other requirements stay the same: local highway authorities still must collect and submit road condition data each year, and the coverage targets for motorways/A/B/C roads remain (e.g. ≥90% of A roads).
PAS 2161 modernises the data standards (technology options and scoring system) while preserving the fundamental responsibilities of councils to report road condition annually.
“Road condition monitoring data is essential for evidence-based maintenance of the local highway network. Ultimately, modernising road condition will help authorities to better manage the condition of roads and reduce disruption for all road users.” (Dame Bernadette Kelly DCB Permanent Secretary)
Timeline & Compliance
- Implementation is staged. For data covering April 2026 – March 2027 (reported spring 2027), authorities must collect condition data in the new 1–5 format using a DfT approved technology. (They will still report the old red/amber/green counts too, if possible, during this transition year.)
- By April 2027 – March 2028, when the switch to PAS 2161 is fully in effect: all annual reports must use the 1–5 scale. (Read more on this here from Highways Magazine.)
Importantly, only accredited surveys can be used for official reporting. The DfT/TRL calibration process has approved specific survey systems (by technology) and published a list of PAS 2161 compliant tools.
Local authorities with existing multi‑year contracts that began before the approvals can continue with them to expiry, but all new contracts or renewals must use an accredited survey. This phased approach ensures a smooth transition: councils won’t be forced to re-tender mid-contract, but moving forward they must procure PAS 2161 approved monitoring services.
Approved Technologies (Rubber-Stamped Suppliers)
In September 2025 the DfT announced the first round of approved survey technologies. Nine systems from seven companies gained PAS 2161 certification. The list spans several approaches:
- Dedicated mobile units
- Bespoke data collection vehicles
- Engineer-led systems
Notably, Route Reports’ “Route Reports RCM” system has been officially approved under PAS 2161, confirming that it fully meets the Department for Transport’s stringent requirements. This makes Route Reports one of the few DfT-certified suppliers that councils can now select when procuring compliant road condition data. It’s important to note that approval is granted to individual technologies rather than entire companies, with each system certified until March 2027 - after which new trials will determine the next round of approved solutions.
View the full list of approved technologies.
Why the Integrated Approach Matters
A Costly Backlog and Fragmentation
Councils are under pressure. A 2023 Highways Magazine report noted that English local authorities face about a £14 billion road repair backlog. In practice, shrinking budgets and public demand for safer roads mean councils simply must be efficient.
Traditionally, however, condition monitoring (potholes, cracks, etc.) and safety inspections (signage, markings, hazards) have been siloed. Each requires different surveys, vehicles, and reporting, so councils juggle multiple suppliers and contracts. This fragmentation has caused duplication; crews may drive the same streets twice for different surveys with data ending up in separate silos. The House of Commons Transport Committee has warned that such fragmentation “undermines councils’ ability to make evidence-based decisions on road spending”.
A Holistic View of Road Risk
Road users don’t care if a problem is a pothole or a missing sign; they see both as safety hazards. Councils need a holistic picture of network risk, not isolated metrics. The shift in mindset, as Route Reports explains, is toward predictive, data-driven maintenance: by continuously feeding condition and safety data into asset management plans, authorities can fix issues before they become emergencies.
For example, tracking a pothole’s growth over time (possible with automated monitoring) lets planners replace it with the right fix at the right time, stretching maintenance budgets further. The combined effect is safer roads delivered at lower cost.
Driving Integration Forward
PAS 2161 “encourages consistency, reliability, and interoperability of road monitoring data.” By introducing unified data standards covering condition categories, approved technologies, and reporting methods, the standard lays the foundation for truly integrated road monitoring.
Route Reports builds on this vision. As the only technology provider to combine road condition monitoring and safety inspections within a single platform, we address one of the industry’s biggest challenges: fragmentation. Councils adopting this integrated model gain a valuable and single source of truth where every defect, from potholes and cracks to faded markings and damaged signs, is captured together and managed within one solution.
This joined up approach eliminates the need for duplicate site visits, enables coordinated maintenance (for example, repairing surfaces and signage in one intervention), and reduces administrative overhead. Route Reports not only meets the PAS 2161 standard for data quality and comparability, it enhances it, giving councils a complete, real-time view of both road condition and safety.
The Route Reports Difference: One Platform, Two Missions
Fully PAS 2161 Approved
Route Reports is proud to be PAS 2161 certified, having passed the Department for Transport’s rigorous approval process to join the official list of recognised suppliers. This milestone reinforces our commitment to delivering accurate, reliable data that helps councils and contractors make informed, safety-focused decisions. More than just a certification, PAS 2161 approval gives local authorities complete confidence that Route Reports’ data meets the UK’s new national standard.
How It Works
Instead of expensive specialist vehicles, Route Reports uses compact dedicated devices on routine fleet vehicles (waste trucks, patrol cars, etc.) These vehicles drive at normal road speeds (up to ~70 mph) and capture continuous imagery autonomously.
Route Reports’ advanced computer vision and AI algorithms automatically detect defects that have previously manually been picked up on driven inspections. All detections are geo-tagged and uploaded instantly to the cloud based dashboard, giving inspectors real-time visibility of their network. This single pass approach is far more efficient: councils get condition and safety data together, without running multiple surveys.
Truly Integrated Asset Management
It doesn’t stop at detections. Route Reports integrates seamlessly with asset management systems such as Symology and Brightly’s Confirm, allowing survey data to flow directly into existing council workflows. No duplicate data entry required. This instant connectivity means risks can be mapped and repairs scheduled faster. As one customer noted, inspectors can capture an issue and have a manager “reviewing the images within seconds.”
Built in collaboration with councils and local authorities, Route Reports was designed to be PAS 2161 ready from day one, addressing real operational needs while ensuring data consistency and quality remain at the core of every update.
Benefits and Efficiencies
Councils using Route Reports see multiple advantages:
- Single Source of Truth: One unified platform holds both condition and safety data, eliminating siloed datasets.
- Reduced Costs: No need for separate survey crews or specialist vehicles – routine operations double as monitoring runs.
- Faster Interventions: Hazards are detected immediately, so maintenance crews can be dispatched sooner rather than waiting for complaints from residents and road users.
- Better Public Perception: Residents notice when roads and signs get fixed quickly, improving confidence in councils.
As PAS 2161 and other standards evolve, Route Reports will evolve too. Our software updates keep councils compliant and make it easier to focus maintenance where it matters most, helping unlock the kind of savings the DfT says could reach hundreds of millions of pounds a year by targeting the highest-risk roads first.
Conclusion
PAS 2161 marks a turning point for road monitoring in England: a more rigorous standard that reflects the reality of modern infrastructure needs.
Route Reports is proud to be at the forefront of this transformation. Our PAS 2161 approved, AI‑driven platform provides councils and contractors with the data they need; not just condition metrics, but a holistic safety view all in one solution. As one Route Reports customer articulated it…
“Councils no longer need to choose between condition monitoring and safety inspections – Route Reports combines both into one efficient, intelligent platform”
The era of fragmented surveys is ending. By embracing this unified approach, local authorities can stretch their budgets further, make smarter maintenance decisions, and keep the public safer.
Discover how Route Reports can empower your organisation: arrange a demo today to see our system in action, or view our live demo for yourself.
Contact us today to arrange a one to one with one of our team, or view the live demo now.
Useful resources:
- UK Roads Liaison Group (UKRLG) – PAS 2161 (Data Collection) – News/Guidance
- Route Reports – “One Platform, Two Missions: Combining Road Condition and Safety Inspections”
- Highways Magazine – “DfT approves first PAS 2161 compliant survey systems”
