About the maps

You can read more about what we learned from the project here or download the PDF.

Between 2007 and 2017, there were over one million neighbourhood environmental problems reported to various local authorities in the UK via FixMyStreet. Researchers from the University of Sheffield, the University of Stirling and mySociety have been investigating patterns (spatial and types) of these reports at the local authority level and have produce these maps as part of the findings of this research.

These maps provide a geographic overview of FixMyStreet reports submitted via the web or the FixMyStreet app from 2007 to 2017 mapped against the Index of Multiple Deprivation for that area. There is one map for each local authority in the UK (a total of 380). Each dot on a map represents one report, which have been classified by type (see list below).

Constituent percentages of report types for each local authority and the UK average can also be found on the main poster which can be downloaded on the maps page. Other information such as the percentages of the total reports per year and percentages of reports per national deprivation deciles can also be found on the main poster.

Whilst the data from FixMyStreet have the potential for providing useful insights into neighbourhood environmental quality and public engagement, there are significant variations in local authority reporting which can be attributed to the level of local authority engagement with FixMyStreet.

Local authorities with FixMystreet integrated into their reporting systems through FixMyStreet Pro (labelled "co-brand" on the maps) have higher volumes of reports in the FixMyStreet Database than other councils.

Reports made by other mediums to local authorities are not captured in this data - and not all problems are ever reported to councils. What appears on maps does not necessarily reflect the real incidence of problems in an area.

From these maps what we can see is the types of problems/concerns of people who are engaged with FixMyStreet. Further research will elaborate on what conclusions can be drawn from this kind of data.

Main report categories

Road Safety & Defects - Relates to things like potholes, roadworks, street lights, road markings, gritting and other carriageway defects

Environmental Health - Relates to dog fouling, blocked drains, spillages, dead animals and rubbish.

Environmental Disruptions - Relates to overgrown trees and vegetation, dangerous buildings and structures, bus stop damage, utility cabinet damage and manhole covers.

Incivilities - Relates to flyposting, graffiti and noise complaints.

Access - Relates to obstructions to right of way for vehicles and pedestrians and footway defects.

Abandoned Vehicles and Parking - Relates to untaxed vehicles, abandoned bicycles, abandoned cars and car-parking concerns.

Public Spaces - Relates to parks, playing fields, landscapes and other open space concerns.

Other - Relates to things like protected trees, housing association concerns and council specific reports.

FixMyStreet: methodological FAQs

We want to be clear about what we think can and cannot be inferred from our analysis of FixMyStreet data, so we are providing answers to questions that were asked frequently during the course of the research project; either by the research team or by local authority consultees we shared the outputs with. The reason for doing this is that we want our results to be understood in context. We also want to make sure that the results are not misinterpreted and that we explain some potential pitfalls in the interpretation of results.

What do your maps tell me about the quality of my local environment?

Our maps provide details of where FixMyStreet reports are located over an eleven year period. The data released as part of this project can be broken down into individual years, but it is important to be aware that our data covers a relatively long time period so we encourage users to think of our outputs as a summary of neighbourhood fault reporting rather than an up-to-date statement on current neighbourhood conditions.

Why do your maps cover an eleven year period?

Across the UK there is considerable variation in the take-up of FixMyStreet so we decided to produce a set of maps that covered the whole period that FixMyStreet has been in operation, in order to provide an account of how local users have engaged with this service. In our graphics we have also included information on the percentage of reports by year so that users can see how this has changed over time. It is also important to note the reporting rate per 10,000 people and compare this to other local authority areas.

There are a lot of dots in my area: does this mean my neighbourhood is worse than others?

Maybe. Maybe not. What we can say about local areas with high levels of reporting is limited. We can be sure that the reports generated are real and that someone has been motivated enough to submit them but without further local analysis it is difficult to say for sure whether this is a reflection of a poor local environment or whether it is a reflection of a higher propensity to report on behalf of local residents. One way to 'sense check' this, however, is to look at areas with similar deprivation profiles and see how they compare.

Doesn't the pattern of reporting say more about the underlying urban fabric than anything else?

Perhaps, and this is an important point. The underlying geography of houses, roads, parks and so on is an important factor in all of this. There will inevitably be a higher number of reports about, say, potholes, if there is more road surface in a particular area compared to another. If it is also the case that an area has a very high daytime population (e.g. it receives thousands of commuters and hence high footfall) then it is likely to see much higher levels of reporting than would be generated by residential population alone. This is why we urge users to investigate the data themselves, in addition to looking at our map and data outputs.

What about duplicate reports? Do you include them?

Yes, we include duplicate reports in the sense that we include multiple reports about the same issue; whether they are submitted by multiple individuals or the same individual more than once. There are two reasons for doing this. The first is that each report represents a form of citizen engagement, whether it is a new issue or a repeat report, and that is what we are trying to capture here. The second, is that it is the level of repeat reporting may provide a way to gauge the extent to which individual problems are perceived by local residents. That is, if an issue is reported multiple times by multiple users then we can reasonably infer that it is seen as a more serious issue than one that is not. Our analysis did not seek to explore this further but we think it is important not to exclude any data points at the outset.

What does a high level of reporting indicate?

There are a number of possible interpretations here. One is that a high level of reporting is indicative of digitally savvy local citizens who care about their neighbourhood and want to make a contribution to preserving its quality. Another is that a high level of reporting is indicative of a poor quality local environment. Our analysis of the data in addition to some local follow-up suggest that a mix of the two is more likely. In some areas, such as the most deprived parts of the UK, there are relatively low levels of reporting yet environmental quality is often visibly poor (e.g. this can be seen on Google Street View, or by walking around the neighbourhood). In such cases low levels of reporting should not be taken as an indication of a high quality neighbourhood. On the other hand, there are some areas (e.g. 'decile 7', as discussed above) where reporting levels are relatively high yet the visual evidence suggests neighbourhood environmental quality is generally good. So, high levels of reporting maysuggest higher expectations on the part of individuals more than anything else. Conversely, low levels of reporting may in some areas reflect low expectations about neighbourhood quality in the first place. These issues are things we think need to be investigated further.

Why are there no map outputs for county councils?

County councils overlap in area with district councils - while FixMyStreet sends different kinds of reports to the type of council responsible, for the purposes of these maps all reports are shown at the district level.

What do the maps and data actually tell us, then?

Our outputs provide new detail on the level, location and type of neighbourhood fault reporting across the UK. They allow us to make comparisons between local authority areas and between different kinds of areas within local authorities. They provide an initial insight into neighbourhood fault reporting as a starting point for further investigation.

mySociety research updates