Councils in England have been warned: fix the nation’s growing pothole problem—or lose part of your funding.
The Department for Transport (DfT) announced a £500 million boost to local road maintenance budgets starting mid-April. But there’s a catch: councils must publish annual reports showing their progress on pothole repairs. Failure to do so will result in losing 25% of the funding, which will instead be redirected to councils showing strong performance.
The move comes amid mounting public frustration, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer calling the state of Britain’s roads a risk to lives and costly to working families. Data from the RAC reveals that England and Wales have about six potholes for every mile of road.
Under the new rules, local authorities must detail their pothole repair stats, spending figures, and long-term maintenance plans by June, and show evidence of public consultation on repair priorities by October.
Councils Push Back
Local councils argue the government’s plan doesn’t go far enough. The Local Government Association (LGA) says the focus should be on preventative work, not just reactive fixes. The group estimates that clearing the national repair backlog would cost £17 billion and take more than a decade.
Lucy Nethsingha, leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, said her region alone faces a £410 million funding shortfall, and called the new funding package “nowhere near enough.” She also criticized the extra bureaucracy: “Our roads are like a worn-out pair of trousers—you can patch the holes, but what’s really needed is a full replacement.”
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander acknowledged the funding won’t fix every pothole but defended the reporting requirement as a way to increase transparency and public accountability.
Calls for Long-Term Solutions
Experts like Simon Gallagher, who specializes in power infrastructure, pointed out that many UK airports and data centres have better infrastructure protection than local roads, raising questions about national priorities.
Opposition parties aren’t impressed either. Labour called the plan a “pothole sticking plaster,” and the Liberal Democrats urged a more sustainable approach to improving road conditions.
