Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Industry estimates indicate that the average cost of repairing a pothole is around £80, although costs can vary significantly depending on the size and location of the defect and the repair method used.

The Government is supporting local highway authorities to reduce the long-term costs associated with potholes by encouraging preventative maintenance and asset management best practice. Through its record £7.3 billion investment in local highways maintenance over the next four years, the Government is providing authorities with the certainty to plan ahead and move away from expensive, short-term pothole repairs and instead invest in preventative road surface treatments so that roads can be fixed properly and fewer potholes form in the first place.

The Government is also encouraging this approach through transparency reporting, incentive funding and local road maintenance ratings. To receive their full funding allocation, local highway authorities are required to publish transparency reports setting out information on the condition of their roads, how they maintain their networks and how they are adopting best practice, including in relation to preventative maintenance and asset management. The Department's rating system provides a further incentive for authorities to adopt best practice and supports continuous improvement across the sector.