Pothole crisis ignored despite backlog

Cameron said: ‘It’s no wonder Scotland’s roads are in the state they are when spending on fixing this critical problem has plummeted.

‘The SNP has no one to blame but itself. It’s ignored years of warnings the problem is getting worse and now many roads are at crisis point. The Nationalists have cut council funding to the bone, leaving local authorities fighting a losing battle on potholes.’

Figures obtained by the Scottish Daily Mail via freedom of information requests show £105million was spent on potholes in 2013-14, when 167,352 repairs were carried out. By 2016-17, the most recent full-year figures available, spending had fallen by 7.2 per cent to £97.4million and the number of repairs by 6 per cent to 157,255.

Over the same period, the number of complaints about potholes rose by 19 per cent, from 78,519 in 2013-14 to 93,240 in 2016-17.

Neil Greig, director of policy and research at IAM RoadSmart, said: ‘I’m not surprised spending has been reduced because of public sector cuts but financially it makes no sense, as you spend more in the long run by cutting budgets now.

‘It is financial nonsense and it is storing up future problems. We need a commitment for long-term funding to bring the backlog down and until we get a financial commitment that

‘Councils fighting a losing battle’

councils can’t wriggle out of, the problem will continue to get worse.’

Since 2013, members of the public have reported 408,032 potholes.

Of Scotland’s 32 councils, 21 were able to provide pothole figures.

Following the Beast from the East, the Scottish Government provided an extra £10million to carry out repairs. Highland Council, the largest by area, received £940,000 – but local businesses said more was required.

Shirley Spear, who owns the Three Chimneys restaurant on Skye, said: ‘The potholes are atrocious throughout the Highlands and Islands, which are home to many thousands of miles of minor roads which have seen very little investment for a generation.

‘As a result, the problems have grown. Now they are so big, I am not sure how repairs can be afforded.’

Since 2013, the largest number of reports of potholes was in Fife, at 107,224, followed by Perth and Kinross at 61,756 and Glasgow at 36,298.

The largest number of repairs completed was in Aberdeenshire, at 122,931, followed by 107,224 in Fife and 88,003 in Dundee.

Highland had the biggest backlog of repairs, valued at £177million, but has spent only £8.2million on repairs since 2012-13. Stirling estimated its backlog at £67million.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The £10.7billion local government finance settlement in 2018-19 will provide a real-terms boost in both revenue and capital funding.

‘While local authority budget setting is the responsibility of individual authorities, total funding will increase by almost £342million in 2018-19.’