Cornwall has highest number of reported potholes in the UK, at over 210,000
Cornwall Council is refuting the figures from motoring insurance experts Carole Nash, saying 99% are repaired swiftly
Last updated 2nd Jul 2021
New figures suggest Cornwall has the highest number of reported potholes in the UK.
Data from a Freedom of Information Request, submitted by motoring insurance experts Carole Nash, show it is over 210,000.
Cambridgeshire has the second highest, at over 184,000, while Kensington and Chelsea in London had just 141.
In his March 2020 budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak pledged £2.5m to repair roads, however there are fears that will not be enough.
Cornwall Council has refuted the figures, saying Cormac repairs 99% of potholes swiftly and within the council's timescales.
What do the figures show?
Motoring insurance experts, Carole Nash, submitted a Freedom of Information request to all councils.
Areas with the highest number of potholes are:
- Cornwall (210,311)
- Cambridgeshire (184,402)
- Derbyshire (172,297)
- Devon (147,779)
- Oxfordshire (110 106)
- East Riding of Yorkshire (106,144)
- Durham (99,630)
- Rotherham (83,964)
- Hertfordshire (72,230)
- Fife (70,254)
Mark Copper, Head of Product at Carole Nash said: "Potholes continue to be an ongoing issue for all motorists and shockingly the number of damaged roads is now estimated to be in the millions.
"Unfortunately, the government is falling behind on trying to repair them, with the backlog going back 14 years or so and costing in the region of £12 billion to fix.
"The really serious issue is that if extremely damaged roads are not fixed in the next five years, they will be forced to close due to being a safety hazard.
"And these safety hazards are exaggerated many times for motorbike users, where the hitting of a pothole can prove fatal.
"When we take all this into consideration, it's hard not to agree with Nick Freeman's point of view - that motorists are not responsible for the maintenance of roads.
"The most important thing to takeaway here is that all motorists should be reporting potholes to their local council as this is the only way we can ensure the upkeep of our roads in the future".
Mark Copper, Carole Nash
Cornwall Council has refuted the figures and provided its own for the number of potholes repaired by its contractor, Cormac, over the last five years:
2020/21 - 25,040
2019/20 - 23,784
2018/19 - 31,239
2017/18 - 30,506
2016/17 - 28,584
In a statement, Cornwall Council said: "Cormac respond swiftly to pothole issues, repairing around 99% within timescales set out by the Council.
"If the pothole is considered to be a significant hazard it will be treated by the end of the next working day.
"Highway crews regularly inspect our roads for signs of potholes, but members of the public can also report potholes online and track the progress of the action we're taking to fix it.
"Potholes are being repaired quicker and with the environment in mind, making use of smaller vehicles suitable for our crews to use on single track roads and a repair trailer powered by biomethane".
Cornwall Council