In the Autumn budget Rachel Reeves has promised a £500 million potholes package to fix crumbling roads in Britain. Reeves said: “For too long, potholes have been an all too visible reminder of our failure to invest as a nation.” The figure comes from data held by Asphalt Industry Alliance who confirm the costs of pothole damage to drivers last year was in excess of £500 million. Freezing rain that becomes ice in winter expands cracks in the road and therefore exacerbates the damaged asphalt creating the estimated 11.5 million potholes in the UK (Stan the App, 2024).
The excessive costs of car insurance has inflated by £200 over the last two years, impacted by the damages caused by potholes in roads. Punctured tyres, misaligned wheels, and damaged suspension and steering components all wrack up the costs for insurance from claims.
Sir Rod Stewart has also historically been seen fixing potholes in Harlow in 2002, stating that the potholed roads were too damaged to drive his Ferrari on. With over 30,000 breakdowns due to potholes in 2023, RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “This is positive news for drivers as it should enable cash-strapped local authorities to begin the process of improving the quality of their roads.” Mr Williams went on to state that filling potholes does not bring long term benefits to drovers, and that preventative maintenance in the form of road surfacing is required. He continued: “Surface dressing roads at regular intervals is a proven, cost-effective way of ensuring potholes don’t appear in the first place, along with resurfacing the worst affected roads.”
The Asphalt Industry Alliance released a Budget response comment from Chair David Giles, welcoming acknowledgement from the Chancellor concerning the state of our roads. He claimed to be ‘disappointed’ on the Budget amount allocated, stating that: “A one-time catch-up cost of £14.4 billion in England alone” is required and that: “This additional allocation is a fraction of what’s needed to prevent further decline.”
The AIA’s Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey report 2024 details this one-off payment to bring the network up to a condition that would allow it to be managed cost effectively going forward as part of a proactive asset management approach.
The AA president Edmund King responded to the Budget pothole fund announcement by stating that extra funding is welcomed because of the hazards potholes cause. King has campaigned the Chancellor and Transport Minister for longer-term commitment to funding to meet road safety concerns as well as impact and costs to the NHS. He stated funding: “Needs to be ring-fenced with an emphasis on innovation and more permanent preventative maintenance.”
Reeves closed by saying: “Today, that changes, with a £500 million increase in road maintenance budgets next year, more than delivering on our manifesto commitment to fix an additional one million potholes per year.”