Road maintenance by local authorities in England has dropped by 45% over five years, the RAC has revealed.
In 2022-23, councils strengthened, resurfaced or preserved 3,366 fewer miles of roads than in 2017-18.
The RAC also found that just 4% of the 17,853 miles of A roads maintained by councils were resurfaced or given life-extending preservation treatment in 2022-23.
More than a third (35%) of England's 158 highways authorities did not carry out any road surfacing in the last financial year.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: ‘With road maintenance levels taking a nose-dive, it’s no surprise the RAC’s Pothole Index has got worse recently with drivers now nearly twice as likely to suffer a pothole-related breakdown than they were in 2006.’
He added: ‘The longer this is left unaddressed, the bigger the eventual bill for councils.’
The Local Government Association’s transport spokesperson, Darren Rodwell, said: ‘Councils share concerns about our local roads and are working hard to try and reduce the current £14bn road repairs backlog.
‘This includes investing in cost-effective and resilient resurfacing, so that roads stay in better condition for longer, but this has been hampered by inflation and rising costs of materials.’
For more on the threat of potholes, check out: Potholes: the drivers’ biggest pain.
