Roads in the north of England have the greatest concentration of wheel-busting divots

According to researchers, drivers are confronted with a north-south dividing line.

Half of the 20 boroughs found to have the highest concentration of pothole reports were in the north, a study found, with the West Yorkshire district of Kirklees named as the worst offender in England and Wales.

It collected an average of just under 20 reports per kilometer of road – 23,513 across the 1,191-kilometer road network in 2022.

Lancashire County Council had the second highest number of potholes reported – over 15 potholes reported per average kilometer and 67,493 in total.

The Daily Mail is campaigning to end the pothole plague, which is costing motorists millions in repair costs.

The Daily Mail campaigns to end pothole plague, costing motorists millions in repair costs

The numbers are the result of freedom of information requests filed by the Bill Plant Driving School.

Tom Hixon, head of instructor support at Bill Plant, suggested the gap could be due in part to more rainfall in northern areas.

However, analysis of figures from the Office for National Statistics by Labor suggests a regional disparity when it comes to funding for road repairs.

A spokesperson for Kirklees Council said it filled 37,538 potholes in 2022.

Meanwhile, Lancashire County Council said it aimed to ‘repair more than 90 per cent of potholes reported to us within 20 working days’.

The figures are based on responses from 122 municipalities out of a total of about 150 responsible for roads.

RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: ‘While the appalling condition of some of the country’s roads is undeniable, it is interesting that there can be such a marked difference in the figures in one part of the country compared to another.’

Tom Hixon, head of instructor support at Bill Plant Driving School, suggested the gap could be due in part to more rainfall in northern areas.

“Because potholes usually form from wet and cold weather on the roads, which then expand and become more prone to breakage under the weight of vehicles,” he said.

However, analysis of figures from the Office for National Statistics by Labor suggests a regional disparity when it comes to funding for road repairs.

Yorkshire and the Humber, which includes five of the poorest northern boroughs, was found to have suffered its worst real percentage cut in funding since April 2020, after taking inflation into account.

Louise Haigh, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, said: ‘The Prime Minister has vowed to make potholes a thing of the past – but he has left 4 million of them on our roads.

“And now we know that the north is paying the price.”

However, analysis by the Conservative Party suggests Tory councils repaired 16,250 potholes in 2021/22 – compared to 5,417 filled by Labor-controlled local authorities, according to The Sun.

A spokesman for the Local Government Association, which represents Britain’s local councils, said: ‘The government should provide greater longer-term funding security to all councils so that they can invest in preventive treatments to prevent potholes in the first place.’

A government spokesman said: ‘We are investing over £5bn in the maintenance of local motorways from 2020 to 2025 and recently announced an additional £200m in the budget to repair millions of potholes a year.

“This funding is allocated based on the length and type of roads – without any regional preference – and local authorities decide how to use it based on local needs.”

Do you have a sewer problem in your area? Email potholes@dailymail.co.uk