The backlog of pothole repairs across England and Wales has reached a record £18.6bn, according to an annual industry estimate. Despite councils filling in about 1.9 million holes last year, only half of the local road network is now reported to be in good condition.
The Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) report warns that new potholes are appearing faster than additional government funding can address them. The estimated cost of a one-off repair of all potholes has risen by £1.8bn since 2025, despite the government allocating £1.6bn last year, including an extra £500m.
AIA chair David Giles described the state of local roads as a 'national disgrace', noting that frequent adverse weather events are taking a toll on a consistently underfunded network. He cautioned that it would be some time before increased funding levels are noticed by the public.
The AA, RAC, and safety charity IAM RoadSmart echoed concerns, with the latter warning that about one in six local roads have less than five years of structural integrity remaining. A Department for Transport spokesperson said the government is providing a record £7.3bn in long-term funding to help councils resurface roads and fix the pothole plague.
A separate survey by KwikFit found that pothole damage cost UK drivers a record £1.8bn over the past 12 months, and prompted 2.5 million drivers to buy larger vehicles, which may further damage road surfaces.
