A Pothole Much Worse! Motorists say their local roads are deteriorating as more than one in four complain their car has been damaged by potholes this year

Nearly three quarters of people indicate that the condition of the roads in their area has deteriorated over the past year.

According to the latest research from the RAC, concerns about the state of these roads are greater than ever.

A survey commissioned by the RAC found that more than half of drivers (56 percent) say the condition and maintenance of roads for which the municipality is responsible is one of their biggest concerns.

Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of respondents said the condition of local roads they regularly use is worse than a year earlier, down from just 67 percent in 2023.

For drivers in rural areas, this percentage rose to 81 percent.

About 27 percent of respondents said their vehicle had been damaged by potholes in the past 12 months.

The most commonly reported problem was a flat tire (47 percent), followed by wheel damage (43 percent) and broken suspension springs (29 percent).

The RAC has written to Transport Minister Louise Haigh and Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood, asking for urgent clarification over the future of local road maintenance funding.

Simon Williams, head of policy at the motoring organisation, said: “These new figures are a damning condemnation of previous governments’ commitments to fixing Britain’s persistent plague of potholes.

‘It is very clear that municipalities simply do not receive the financial support they need to bring the quality of the roads for which they are responsible to a reasonable level.

‘It is nothing short of remarkable that the drivers we surveyed this year are, on average, far more concerned about the state of their local roads than they are about the cost of their car insurance, which has risen dramatically in recent years, or fuel costs, which remain uncomfortably high.’

The RAC and Channel 4’s Shipments programme earlier this year found that whether or not potholes in the road are repaired depends entirely on the council’s own criteria – and the The standard for what is considered necessary repair can vary greatly from region to region.

The research found that a third of municipalities only repair potholes in the road if they reach a certain depth, regardless of how wide they are.

This means that many dangerous potholes are not repaired, posing an ongoing risk to road users, especially those on two wheels.

A recent survey found that 206 local governments take different approaches to identifying and repairing potholes.

“The new administration just has to do something different,” Williams added.

‘Motorists, who contribute billions to the Treasury every year through taxes, are becoming desperate as local road networks deteriorate in far too many parts of the country.

‘It shouldn’t be like this. They need something to believe in from both the national and local government.

‘A small improvement in the condition of the roads during this term of office is not enough.’

A report published last month by the National Audit Office, a watchdog over Whitehall’s spending, found the government has “significant gaps” in its knowledge of road surface quality.

According to the latest research from the RAC, concerns about the state of these roads have reached unprecedented levels

The NAO pointed to industry estimates of a £15.6 billion backlog in road maintenance across the country, which it said was preventing local authorities from carrying out ‘preventative works’.

Analysis of DfT data shows the percentage of road length maintained each year in England is falling

Claire Holland, transport spokesperson for the Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, said: ‘Limited resources and a £16.3 billion backlog of local road maintenance means councils must prioritise road maintenance based on local circumstances.

‘Due to inflation and continued pressure from other municipal services, there is limited money available to repair potholes.

‘The new government should commit to maintaining the previous government’s spending plans for local highway maintenance, alongside the need for long-term funding certainty. This will allow for better support for resurfacing projects and prevent potholes from occurring in the first place.’

In October 2023, the Conservative government announced it would provide an additional £8.3 billion in funding over 11 years to patch up potholes in England.

This was part of the Network North strategy to use the money saved by scrapping the planned extension of HS2 north of Birmingham.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘Rebuilding Britain means modernising our transport infrastructure and we are determined to tackle the poor state of our local roads.

‘We will maintain and renew the network, supporting local authorities to repair up to one million additional potholes per year. This will ensure that our roads serve users, are safe and reduce traffic congestion.’