The South West's pothole crisis

A decade-long effort to repair potholes in the South West of England has seen one pothole filled every two minutes on average — yet a staggering £2.6 billion backlog in carriageway repairs remains.

The findings, from the Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey, paint a troubling picture for road users in the region. Nearly one in six miles of the South West's local road network - representing over 4,500 miles - has less than five years of structural life remaining. Meanwhile, roads are resurfaced on average only once every 83 years.

David Giles, Chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), which commissions the ALARM survey, said that local authorities face a challenge.

"Over £20 billion has been spent on carriageway maintenance in England and Wales over the last decade. However, due partly to the short-term nature of funding, this has resulted in no measurable improvement in the network’s condition and resilience," he said.

He also commented that 94% of local authority highway teams reported no improvement to their networks over the past year.

The ALARM survey, now in its 30th year, reflects data from 78% of local authorities in England and Wales, including 93% of councils in the South West. The results highlight a persistent pattern of temporary funding boosts followed by longer periods of cuts, resulting in continued road deterioration.

"There needs to be a complete change in mindset away from short-term to longer-term funding commitments," added Giles. "Local authorities have told us they need their budgets to more than double for the next five to ten years if they are to address the backlog of repairs."

The AIA is urging the Government to adopt a minimum five-year funding plan and increase investment in local road maintenance, with budgets ring-fenced specifically for these improvements. Giles stressed that sustained investment would improve efficiency, deliver better value for taxpayers, and create a more resilient road network.

The ALARM 2025 report reveals significant concerns for the South West:

• An extra £163 million was required last year to maintain roads to target conditions.

• A one-off investment of £2.59 billion is needed to restore the network to optimal conditions.

• South West authorities have 17% less budget per mile of network than councils in England (excluding London).

• 43% of the network - over 13,000 miles - has less than 15 years of structural life remaining.

• In the past year, 277,690 potholes were filled at a total cost of £20.1 million.

Simon Williams, Head of Policy at the RAC, warned that the lack of investment is creating long-term issues:

"Once again, these figures paint a bleak picture of the state of the nation’s roads. The lack of investment is a false economy as it simply leads to larger repair costs in the future. In the meantime, all road users pay the price with uncomfortable journeys, breakdowns, and repair bills."

Cllr Adam Hug, Transport Spokesperson for the Local Government Association, called on the Government to back local councils with long-term funding to address the crisis:

"Investing in local roads now makes them more resilient and lasting, delivering benefits to road users, businesses, and the environment."

Edmund King, President of the AA, described the situation as a "dismal two steps forward, three steps back" scenario. However, he noted a slight dip in pothole-related breakdowns recorded by the AA, offering faint hope that improved funding is beginning to have an impact.

The full ALARM 2025 report is available for download from: www.asphaltuk.org