The poor state of England’s pothole-riddled road system is costing £14.4bn a year in economic damage, new research has revealed.
A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) calculated the overall cost to the economy of pothole-related vehicle damage, accidents, reduced speeds and emissions.
The crisis is caused by reduced spending on road maintenance by English local authorities, according to the think tank.
English councils’ spending on ‘routine maintenance’ fell from £1,756m in 2006 to £1,276m in 2023 – a drop of over 27%.
Drawing on anecdotal evidence, Douglas McWilliams, the CEBR's deputy chair, suggested the roads in England are now worse for potholes than most places between Beijing and Paris.
If this article was of interest, then check out AIA chair Rick Green's feature, The great pothole repair failure.
