"I think all road users would agree that the condition of our local roads has become a national disgrace. The impact of frequent adverse weather events on a consistently underfunded and increasingly fragile network is coming home to roost. The money needed to fully repair local roads has increased dramatically over the past decade."
"We have been seeing with our own eyes, and feeling with our wheels, how record wet weather linked to substandard roads has led to many local roads becoming patchwork obstacle courses. The report starkly warns us how much more needs to be done to eradicate this plague of potholes."
"Roads are in a woeful state of disrepair, something that's been even more noticeable since the beginning of the year with our teams receiving hundreds of breakdown reports every day mentioning potholes. The condition represents a significant safety and maintenance challenge across the network."
England and Wales are experiencing a critical road maintenance crisis with pothole repair backlogs reaching a record 18.6 billion pounds. Despite councils filling approximately 1.9 million potholes last year, new damage is forming faster than repairs can be completed. A wet winter has significantly worsened road conditions, leaving only half the network in good condition. The Asphalt Industry Alliance reports that repair costs have increased by 1.8 billion since 2025, outpacing government funding increases. Although the government allocated an additional 500 million pounds last year, totaling 1.6 billion, this remains insufficient to address the scale of deterioration. Industry leaders warn that consistent underfunding and adverse weather have created a fragile network requiring substantially more investment to achieve meaningful improvement.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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