The backlog of road repairs in England and Wales has reached a record £18.6 billion, according to the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA). Despite councils filling in approximately 1.9 million potholes last year, only half of the local road network is now in good condition, a decline exacerbated by a notably wet winter.
The AIA report estimates that the cost of a one-off repair of all potholes has risen by £1.8 billion since 2025, even after the government allocated an additional £500 million last year, bringing total funding to £1.6 billion. David Giles, AIA chair, described the state of local roads as a “national disgrace” and warned that frequent adverse weather on an underfunded network is taking its toll.
Road safety groups echoed the concern. Edmund King, AA president, called potholes a “plague” and noted that wet weather combined with substandard roads has created “patchwork obstacle courses.” Simon Williams of the RAC said roads are in a “woeful state of disrepair,” while Nicholas Lyes of IAM RoadSmart warned that one in six local roads have less than five years of structural integrity left.
A Department for Transport spokesperson acknowledged the need for improvement and highlighted a record £7.3 billion in long-term funding for councils. They noted a 15% increase in pothole-prevention works in 2025 compared with 2024 and pledged to hold councils accountable for delivering safer journeys.
Separately, a KwikFit survey found that pothole damage cost UK drivers a record £1.8 billion over the past year, prompting 2.5 million drivers to purchase larger vehicles, which may further damage road surfaces.
