The UK’s Pothole Problem

On By George Poland
The UK’s Pothole Problem

Holes in the road cost UK motorists over £1 billion in car repairs every year and the situation isn’t getting any better.

In this article, we take a look at the pesky potholes that are causing problems all over the country.

 

 

AIA ALARM Survey

A recent report from the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) has highlighted that roads in England and Wales are deteriorating quicker than they are being repaired.

The Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey for 2023 showed that one in five roads have no more than 5 years of life left in them. This is equivalent to 37,000 miles of road.

It is also estimated that £14 billion would be needed to fix all of the potholes situated in England and Wales. This figure is up from the £12 billion estimate that was made in last year’s ALARM survey and the £9 billion estimate made in 2012.

Over the past year, 1.4 million potholes were filled in. This figure is down from the 1.7 million potholes that were filled in the previous year despite roads being in worse condition.

This year’s report also states that local authority highway teams across the country only receive two-thirds of what is needed to stop further road deterioration.

 

RAC Pothole Index

Data from the RAC reveals that the driving services company has had to rescue more than 10,000 motorists from pothole-related damages in the first three months of 2023, more than any other three-month period since the first quarter of 2021.

This figure is also more than double the 4,915 callouts for pothole-related breakdowns that occurred in the last quarter of 2022.

The RAC’s pothole index which has tracked pothole call-outs since 2006, indicates that drivers are now 1.6 times more likely to breakdown due to potholes than they were 17 years ago.

 

What’s being done to prevent potholes?

In the 2023 spring budget, the government increased investment in pothole repairs by £200 million making the overall budget £700 million. Motoring groups have criticised this total which falls way short of the AIA’s £14 billion repairs estimate.

Soaring inflation and supply chain issues in recent years have increased the cost of road repairs which has made preventing potholes even more difficult. The AIA and RAC's pothole analysis projects that the Government's current efforts won't be enough to curb road deterioration in the near future.

The 2023 ALARM survey concludes that "a longer-term funding horizon from central government with more highway budget ring-fencing" is what's needed to help local authority engineers plan and implement works more effectively and efficiently to protect and enhance the resilience of local road networks.

 

 

What causes potholes?

Blame often gets placed on councils for not effectively repairing roads and leaving surfaces in poor conditions. However, despite even a council's best efforts, potholes are an inevitability.

Tarmac exposed to the elements will naturally deteriorate over time. The persistent wetting, freezing and drying of a road’s surface causes tarmac to expand and retract which weakens the ground and creates cracks.

This, combined with the abrasion from heavy vehicles passing over top, leads to potholes forming across the road.

The UK’s combination of congested highways and wet weather means that it's highly susceptible to the formation of potholes.

 

What damage do potholes cause?

Falling into a pothole can cause your vehicle a variety of issues. Although, there are several car parts that are particularly prone to damage.

One of these parts is your vehicle’s suspension. If you can feel and hear unusual vibrations or sounds then a pothole may have caused your suspension to misalign. Further problems include broken ball joints and damaged struts or shocks.

Steering is often damaged by potholes too. A jarred steering system can feel loose due to internal components being knocked out of position.

Wheels can also suffer from being bent out of place in addition to tyres getting punctures or even blowouts.

Here's an example of a severe pothole causing damage to unsuspecting vehicles.

 

How can I report a pothole?

If there’s a particular pothole in your local area that’s causing damage on your daily commute, you can send a report to your local council to get it filled in.

There’s a helpful GOV.UK page that helps you find your area’s county council website by entering your postcode.

Alternatively, if the pothole in question is situated on a major dual-carriageway or motorway then you can report it to Highways England on their website here.