"I only need to step out of the door, get into my car, and then I'm met with potholes everywhere. It's frightening, and it's affecting the way that people drive. I see people swerving to avoid potholes. I see them slowing down. We see people getting injured. We see damage to vehicles. We have to recognise that the local road network is absolutely critical for mobility."
"Every journey starts on a local road. If we allow this to carry on, people are not going to be able to get out to hospital appointments, doctor's appointments, down to the supermarket. And it has such a terrible effect on the local economy."
"The report rightly highlights the need to improve our roads. We're already seeing progress, with 15% more pothole-prevention works carried out in 2025 compared to 2024."
London's highways are deteriorating significantly despite marginal improvements from borough investments and Department for Transport allocations. Nearly half the network remains in good condition, but over 1,900 miles—representing 20% of roads—have less than five years of structural life left. The repair backlog has grown to £1.22 billion. Road conditions are causing widespread problems including vehicle damage, injuries, and traffic disruptions. The situation threatens essential services access and damages the local economy. Government funding increases have resulted in 15% more pothole-prevention work in 2025 compared to 2024. However, London boroughs have received no dedicated funding for principal route maintenance since the government withdrew Transport for London's annual funding in 2018.
Read at www.bbc.com
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