Plymouth transport councillor defends pothole repairs amid public frustration

A local councillor has defended the state of Plymouth roads, saying thousands of potholes are repaired each year despite growing public frustration.

In a statement titled “The truth about potholes”, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport John Stephens said complaints on social media often give the impression repairs are not being carried out.

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“We’re seeing more and more comments… about the condition of our roads, some people even saying we don’t repair them at all,” he said. “And we get why it can feel that way.”

He said the authority is responsible for a large and ageing network across Plymouth, including 882km of roads, more than 1,100km of footways and tens of thousands of street assets such as gullies, lights and traffic signals.

According to the council, more than 8,000 potholes were repaired in the past year, rising to an estimated 9,000 once additional “find and fix” work is included. 

This work sits alongside resurfacing, patching and other maintenance projects.

Stephens said streets are inspected regularly based on how busy they are, ranging from monthly checks on major routes to annual inspections on quieter roads. 

Reported potholes are assessed within three working days, with inspectors deciding how urgently repairs are needed.

“We don’t pick streets at random and we don’t work on a ‘shout the loudest’ basis,” he said.

Weather was identified as a major factor behind the continuing problem. 

Cllr Stephens described the past year as “brutal” for roads, with heavy rain, storms and repeated freeze-thaw cycles causing surfaces to deteriorate.

“Water gets into tiny cracks. Frost expands them. Rain weakens the layers underneath. And before you know it, a defect forms,” he said.

He added that new potholes can appear shortly after repairs, particularly during harsh winter conditions, which can be discouraging for both road users and maintenance crews.

Figures released by the council show that in the past year it has also surface-dressed 31 roads, carried out patching on 43 roads, resurfaced nine roads and improved grip on three locations, with spray-patch technology used to repair more than 4,000 defects.

Cllr Stephens said potholes do not indicate a lack of investment but reflect the condition of an ageing network under pressure from weather and traffic. 

Plymouth City Council plans to invest about £55 million in highways over the next four years.

“We’re working hard… and we’ll keep at it… because Plymouth’s roads matter to all of us,” he said.