Unstable weather causes huge influx of potholes across West Sussex
25,500 potholes were filled in just nine months last year.
The winter's harsh weather has led to a huge influx of potholes on West Sussex's roads.
The county council claims approximately 25,500 potholes were filled in just nine months in 2022.
Highways teams have also received 2,500 reports so far in January - compared to 1,400 for the same month last year.
The authority says they are working to fix issues as soon as possible, and are blaming the increase on temperature changes and severe weather.
Matt Davey, the County Council’s Assistant Director, Highways, Transport and Planning, said: “We are aware of the fresh influx of pothole concerns, sparked by severe weather and temperature changes, and will do all we can to repair those that need filling for safety reasons as soon as possible.
“In November and December, 2022, our Highways teams received our second-highest number of pothole reports on record.
“Unfortunately, roads are not permanent structures; they deteriorate over time from constant use, the weight of vehicles using them and the effects of weather, resulting in new potholes.
“Older roads, potentially with small cracks, can be impacted by changes in temperature. West Sussex has experienced one of the hottest summers, then mild/wet weather, then the very cold snap from 6 to 15 December, followed by mild and very wet again, sometimes with flood conditions.
“These fluctuations, with torrential/persistent rain, combine to cause road surfaces to expand/contract and expand again, potentially causing further cracks and new potholes to form.
“We totally understand that potholes are a big source of frustration for all road users and we will investigate people’s concerns so we can prioritise repairing those which meet the safety criteria as quickly as possible.”