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Report
Tackling the UK’s pothole crisis
National World - LocalTV
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04/04/2025
With news that the government will reduce council funding if they don't hit pothole repair targets, we take a closer look at the nation's pothole crisis!
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Transcript
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00:00
Potholes. They've become a familiar and frustrating sight on many of our local roads,
00:06
causing damage to vehicles, posing safety risks and contributing to growing public dissatisfaction.
00:12
Research shows that drivers in the UK encounter an average of six potholes per mile of road.
00:18
The issues gained renewed attention following a recent government announcement that councils could
00:24
lose millions of pounds in funding if they fail to meet targets for pothole repairs.
00:29
The move aims to tackle the persistent problem but many are questioning whether it is enough
00:34
to make a real difference. Across the UK the state of our roads has become a serious concern.
00:40
The government has committed to allocating 1.6 billion pounds to address road repairs,
00:45
including fixing potholes. Councils will need to show that they're effectively
00:49
using these funds to avoid losing up to a quarter of their future allocations.
00:54
This policy change comes at a time when many local authorities are already under significant
00:59
financial pressure, raising questions about how realistic these targets are and whether
01:05
they'll truly result in safer, smoother roads for drivers. According to the RAC,
01:10
potholes cause hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage every year.
01:15
From tyre blowouts to suspension damage, vehicles are often left with costly repair bills.
01:20
In fact in 2023 more than four million pounds was spent on pothole related claims
01:25
in just one month alone. Potholes also pose a serious safety risk. Cyclists and motorcyclists
01:31
are particularly vulnerable as a sudden swerve to avoid a pothole could lead to dangerous accidents.
01:37
The longer potholes remain unfixed, the more the infrastructure of our roads deteriorates,
01:43
potentially leading to even more severe repairs down the line. The UK government estimates that
01:48
it would take around 16.8 billion pounds and 12 years to bring all roads up to standard.
01:54
Currently councils are only receiving a fraction of this amount, leaving many roads in a state
01:58
of disrepair. In fact in Scotland potholes have increased by 50% in the past year alone
02:04
and local councils have warned that funding cuts could lead to even more severe backlogs.
02:09
With roads becoming more damaged and the pressure on local councils growing,
02:13
it's clear that more needs to be done to ensure roads are properly maintained.
02:18
The government's new funding scheme and stricter repair targets are a step in the right direction,
02:23
but whether they'll be enough to tackle the full scale of the problem remains to be seen.
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