Pothole crisis reaches record high as number of unfixed craters tops 1 million

BRITAIN’S pothole crisis has reached a post-pandemic high after drivers reported 1 million potholes on the nation’s roads last year.

The number of road craters in need of repair reported to councils is at its highest since 2020, according to insurance comparison site Confused.com. A million potholes being reported in one year is the equivalent of more than 2,700 being flagged to highways authorities every single day.

South-east England is the worst area of the UK for potholes, the insurance comparison website found, with just under 200,000 potholes being reported there last year. Confused.com said drivers had made 4.4 million insurance claims as a result of pothole damage to their cars, although councils that are responsible for road maintenance can also be claimed against for the cost of car repairs.

Louise Thomas, a motoring expert from the comparison site, said: “There’s no denying that the UK has a pothole problem, and the government has dedicated more funding as a result.

“If your car is damaged due to a pothole, you should always try to reclaim the cost of damage through the council first. That’s because pothole repairs are their responsibility.”

Ms Thomas added: “If you see a pothole while driving, it’s important to report it to the local council straight away. Even if it didn’t damage your car, you could help to protect other drivers who might come into contact with it at a later date.”

News of the number of reported potholes comes after an estimated two million of the tarmac blights were filled in over the past 12 months according to the Asphalt Industry Alliance, while councils are paying out tens of millions in compensation to drivers.

The cost of repairs to damaged cars, as well as for repairing the potholes themselves, is high.

Local authorities paid out more than £22.7 million in compensation last year alone, What Car? Magazine reported in January, with the average payout reaching £347.