Pothole repair bill hits £474m as parties urged to fix UK’s roads

All political parties are being urged to prioritise potholes after damage to vehicles from poor road surfaces hit £474 million last year.

With previous estimates suggesting the repair bill for damaged vehicles could be even higher, some 96% of drivers rated potholes as the most important transport issue in an AA poll.

The Pothole Partnership, which has been formed by the AA, the National Motorcyclists Council, British Cycling and manufacturer JCB, has unveiled a five-point political plan to help tackle the issue.

The coalition, which is also supported by the British Motorcyclists Federation, IAM RoadSmart and TyreSafe, wants local authorities to limit the practice of temporary pothole repairs or patches and, where possible, every pothole or patch to be repaired permanently. 

It is also calling for councils and contractors to adhere to UK-wide repair and inspection standards, and report annually on the repairs undertaken, with greater transparency on their repair backlog, patching works and road resurfacing.

Furthermore, it wants the next Government to demonstrate greater urgency by accelerating and increasing pothole funding for England, and ringfencing road maintenance funding to help deliver innovations that enable permanent repairs.

The AA dealt with 631,852 pothole related incidents in 2023, the highest for five years. Edmund King, AA President, said: “Politicians please note that all road users are fed up with potholes. It is costing drivers a fortune but tragically costing lives for those on two wheels.

“Permanently fixing potholes would be one of the most popular political proposals as it affects everyone and the economy. It is also the number one concern for 96% of drivers who want permanent solutions rather than a patchwork approach.”