Planned maintenance
Overview
Since 2016, Newham has delivered one of London’s largest local authority highway investment programmes through Keeping Newham Moving (KNM). A further £10.035million was approved for 2026/27. Through this investment, the Council continues to improve road safety, support active travel, reduce reactive maintenance costs, and maintain the borough’s 409km highway network.
The 2026/27 Planned Maintenance Programme brings together funding from KNM, the Department for Transport (DfT), and Transport for London (TfL), enabling a coordinated programme of resurfacing, reconstruction, structures maintenance, drainage upgrades, and street lighting renewal.
Highways Maintenance Spend (Updated for 2026/27)
In 2026/27, Newham Council will invest:
1. £10.04m KNM capital funding (Year 12)
2. £0.932m DfT baseline funding
3. £0.569m DfT Incentive Fund (subject to transparency submission)
4. £0.314m TfL funding (for Principal Roads and structures)
This combined investment supports resurfacing, reconstruction, structures maintenance, drainage, road markings, and street lighting renewal.
State of the Highways Network
Newham maintains 408.98km of roads, including A-roads, B-roads and unclassified roads. Since 2016, 129.77km have been resurfaced under KNM, significantly reducing the backlog of defects and improving network condition.
The 2026/27 programme continues to prioritise roads based on condition data, safety, residual life, and alignment with the Council’s Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Framework (HIAMF).
Planned Maintenance Programme 2026/27
The 2026/27 programme includes:
Resurfacing Programme
The Council will deliver resurfacing across 8.9km of the network, including:
- 2.5km of classified roads (A & B roads)
- 7.65km of unclassified roads
Schemes are selected using the HIAMF prioritisation strategy and delivered through the Council’s Highways Framework Contractors.
NEW: Preventative Micro-Asphalting Programme
A new dedicated micro-asphalting programme will treat 2.7km of roads in “fair” condition to extend their life by 7–10 years. This shift strengthens Newham’s DfT Incentive Fund rating and demonstrates best practice in asset management.
Planned Patching Programme
Targeted patching will be undertaken on roads with at least three years of residual life, adding new material to prolong asset life and reduce future reactive repairs.
Carriageway & Footway Reconstruction Programme
Major reconstruction works will take place where:
- Ground conditions have caused significant level changes
- Tree roots have damaged footways and carriageways
- Ageing trees require replacement with more suitable species
Large portions of this work will occur in Beckton area, with additional works in Victorian housing streets.
DfT Funding (Principal Roads & Structures)
DfT baseline and incentive funding (up to £1.501m) will be used to:
- Improve the Principal Road Network
- Reduce insurance claims (42% of claims occur on A/B roads despite being only 15.5% of the network)
- Support bids to the new DfT Structures Engineering Maintenance Fund for ageing structures nearing end-of-life
TfL Funding (£0.314m)
TfL has allocated:
1. £69k for Principal Road resurfacing (LIP schemes)
2. £245k for structures maintenance
This marks the first TfL contribution to Principal Roads in several years.
Road Markings Programme
Funding will support mainly refresh of safety critical markings.
Drainage Maintenance Programme
Works include:
- Maintenance and replacement of ageing drainage infrastructure
- Installation of new pipes and manholes at flood-prone locations
- Clearing backlog drainage works to reduce flooding hotspot areas
Structures Maintenance Programme
Newham maintains 72 highway structures, many over 100 years old. 2026/27 works include planned works and investigations at:
- Bow Flyover and
- Groves Bridge
TfL has contributed £0.245m to support these works.
Street Lighting & Electrical Renewal
Key activities for 2026/27:
- Commencement of replacement of 20,000 ageing telecell CMS units
- Renewal of 180 lighting columns
- Replacement of feeder pillars and cabling
- Continued structural and electrical testing to maintain safety and support adaptive lighting
Woolwich Foot Tunnel
The 100-year-old tunnel requires ongoing investment. In 2026/27, alongside the Royal Borough of Greenwich, we will undertake design work for future refurbishment, following essential safety works completed in 2025/26 and lift repairs in 2026.
View Highway Improvements near you
Residents can now explore planned, ongoing, and completed highway improvements through our new public-facing interactive map. The map allows you to view schemes by financial year, ward, or programme, and to click on individual schemes to access further information about the works taking place in your area. You can access the map here:
Highway Improvements near you
Minimising Disruption
Newham Council holds quarterly coordination meetings with utility companies and developers in order to track any planned works that may impact the network, and uses its powers to coordinate works to reduce disruption to the highways network. To support this coordination we use the mapping tool One Network which enables us to see active and planned works.
We are currently reviewing the option to implement a ‘lane rental’ programme which charges utilities and developers for disrupting the highways network in order to provide a financial incentive to coordinate works and minimise disruption.
Climate Change Resilience
Newham Council is fronting efforts to decarbonise highways maintenance operations through a comprehensive three-part approach that addresses material selection, equipment and vehicles, and operational practices.
In terms of materials selection, where possible we use recycled materials to minimise the need to extract and process materials; warm asphalt rather than hot asphalt to reduce carbon emissions; and asphalt preservation products to extend the life of road surfaces and minimise the need for repairs.
Regarding equipment and vehicles, we are collaborating with supply chain and contract partners to support and promote the use of electric vehicles and plant machinery where possible. By transitioning to electric-powered equipment, the Council significantly cuts down ongreenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels.
Regarding operational practices, we use urban greening to sequester carbon dioxide and improve air quality; and use Thin Surface Course Systems (TSCS) for surfacing, where applicable, as they are known to be more resilient to adverse weather and climate change. We also we have stringent emissions standards for contractors and suppliers, including carbon footprint assessments and carbon forecasting.
Best Practice, Innovation & Efficiency
To deliver best practice, innovation and efficiency, Newham has adopted the national Code of Practice: Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure. Building on this, the Council developed its own Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Framework, which provides the structure and principles for how we maintain and improve our roads. This framework was formally approved by Cabinet in December 2023 and is available on the Council’s website.
The framework is reviewed annually to ensure it stays aligned with national guidance and industry best practice.
Future Programme
A six-year capital plan (2026/27–2031/32) has been drafted, identifying that £11m per year is required to maintain the network at its current steady-state condition. Future funding will be considered through the Council’s annual budget process.
Other Major Schemes on our Roads
Alongside KNM, several major capital schemes continue or commence in 2026/27, including:
Royal Docks Corridor
Westfield Avenue
Cycle Future Route 7 (Phase 1)
Romford Road
Marshgate Lane Greenway Links
Flexibility Within the Year
The 2026-27 programme includes priority and reserve schemes, allowing adjustments during the year to respond to emerging issues, cancellations, or under-spend.
