UK’s worst areas for potholes revealed as cost of bringing roads up to scratch estimated to be £16.8bn
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Fixing all potholes in England and Wales would take 12 years
- Fixing all potholes in England and Wales would cost £16.8 billion and take 12 years to complete, according to the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA).
- The AIA's research reveals that one in six miles of local roads has less than five years of life remaining, with roads only resurfaced on average every 93 years.
- The research found 1.9 million potholes were filled in the 2024-25 financial year, costing £137.4 million.
- The AIA calls for a shift towards proactive road maintenance, including five-year funding cycles, while critics label current efforts a "dismal" approach to the "pothole plague."
- Despite a £500 million increase in local roads maintenance funding for 2025-26, concerns remain about long-term funding to address the backlog.