Pothole-related breakdowns rocketed in the first three months of the year, RAC says

  • Drivers forking out almost £500 on non-puncture repairs triggered by potholes

By ROB HULL, MOTORING EDITOR

Updated:

Motorists are having to deal with a massive spike in pothole-related breakdowns and massive repairs bills to fix damage to their vehicles caused by craters in the road, the RAC has said. 

Its patrols attended 9,439 callouts responding to stricken vehicles that had been disabled by potholes between January and March.

This was almost double the 4,709 breakdowns it responded to in the final quarter of 2024 - and almost a fifth more than the same three-month period from January to March last year (7,904). 

The motoring group said the data 'sadly shows the pothole plague is as prevalent as ever', adding that drivers are having to fork out an average of almost £500 for non-puncture repairs.

Common vehicle problems caused by potholes include damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs and distorted wheels.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously said broken roads 'can risk lives and cost families hundreds if not thousands of pounds on repairs', adding that councils should 'get on with the job' of repairing them after the Government increased available funding.

The RAC attended 9,439 callouts responding to stricken vehicles that had been disabled by potholes between January and March. This was 19% more than in the same period in 2024

The RAC attended 9,439 callouts responding to stricken vehicles that had been disabled by potholes between January and March. This was 19% more than in the same period in 2024

Potholes are typically formed during the colder and wetter winter months when water freezes and expands after entering cracks in road surfaces.

However, the UK's winter of 2024-25 was not particularly cold or wet, according to a Met Office blog post. 

In fact, the nation's weather a climate service said the latest winter was both above average in temperature and below average in terms of rainfall.

Yet the RAC said motorists have felt the brunt of an increase in pothole-related breakdowns in the opening three months of the year. 

The motoring group said the data 'sadly shows the pothole plague is as prevalent as ever', adding that drivers are having to fork out an average of almost £500 for non-puncture repairs

The motoring group said the data 'sadly shows the pothole plague is as prevalent as ever', adding that drivers are having to fork out an average of almost £500 for non-puncture repairs

Its head of policy, Simon Williams, commented: 'Our pothole-related breakdown data is a very clear reflection of the true state of the UK's roads, and it sadly shows the pothole plague is as prevalent as ever.

'Suffering a breakdown due to wear and tear caused by the poor quality of roads is frustrating beyond belief, particularly as the average cost of repairing anything more than a puncture is £460.

'The cost of motoring is high enough already without having to fork out extra money to get your car back on the road.

'Drivers shouldn't have to bear the brunt of these costs – they're only having to because the roads have been allowed to get into such a dire state.

'After filling dangerous potholes as permanently as possible, we urge councils to prioritise preventative maintenance such as surface dressing to stop future potholes appearing.'

According to the latest ALARM (Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance) report from the Asphalt Industry Alliance, the cost of bringing pothole-plagued local roads in England and Wales up to scratch is estimated to be a record £16.8billion.

However, authorities have just a fraction of that amount to maintain their routes. 

Local roads maintenance funding for England provided by the Government for this financial year is nearly £1.6billion – a rise of £500million compared with the previous 12 months.

The increase is estimated to be enough to fix around seven million potholes.

A quarter of the uplift is being held back until authorities have provided evidence they are using the funding wisely.

According to the latest industry report, the cost of bringing pothole-plagued local roads in England and Wales up to scratch is estimated to be an eye-watering £16.8billion

According to the latest industry report, the cost of bringing pothole-plagued local roads in England and Wales up to scratch is estimated to be a £16.8billion

Local Government Association transport spokesman Adam Hug said: 'Greater, long-term funding certainty for local highways authorities – with five-yearly funding allocations on a par with National Highways – is needed to tackle the multibillion-pound local roads backlog.

'This will enable councils to better monitor, plan for and invest in preventative treatments, which keep surfaces in better condition for longer and are cheaper than reactive repairs.

'The one-year boost to pothole funding confirmed earlier this month is good, and recognition that funding had been inadequate to keep roads maintained.'

A Department for Transport spokesman said: 'This Government is ending the pothole plague on Britain's roads.

'We are investing £1.6billion to help local authorities resurface local roads and fix the equivalent of up to seven million extra potholes over the next financial year.

'With the average driver forking out nearly £500 to repair serious pothole damage, we know that fixing cratered roads is not just about pride in our communities, but the pound in people's pockets too.

'The public deserves to know how their councils are improving their local roads, which is why they will have to show progress or risk losing a quarter of our record funding boost.'

Our five-step guide for pothole compensation claims

1. Collect the evidence

If you're a motorist looking to make a claim for a repair bill for pothole-related damage, or a cyclist putting in a damage or personal injury claim after hitting one in the road, the first port of call is to make a note of where the pothole is located, the time and date of the incident, and take a photo of the pothole.

A pothole needs to be at least 2 inches deep to be deemed a pothole in the eyes of councils. 

And it's not just the depth and size of the pothole that councils will try to use to refuse paying out compensation.

Local authorities may defend a claim if they successfully argue that the pothole was not an obvious hazard - or if they were unaware of it, despite having in place a reasonable system of inspection and repair.

To improve your chances of a successful claim, it will help to demonstrate whether the pothole was an obvious danger or not. 

Where possible, take photos at the scene, just in case the council repairs the pothole before you can return to take them.

If you didn't do this at the time of the incident, you can return to the scene to take pictures.

You should also take a photos of the damage the pothole has caused to your vehicle (or person, if you have been injured). 

If possible, take your car to a garage and ask for a mechanic's report in writing for the projected cost to fix the issue caused – or if your motor isn't drivable, phone a reputable repair centre and request a quote. 

2. Work out who is to blame

To make a claim for compensation, first you need to know who should pay out. 

If the pothole is on a motorway or main trunk road, the chances are it is a National Highways (formerly Highways England) problem. 

For local roads, you will need to research which council is responsible.

Once you've identified the party you need to contact, request a copy of highway maintenance schedules and number of reported incidents on the particular road for the previous 14 days as evidence that the road hasn't been properly maintained or a reported pothole hasn't been addressed. 

3. Make the claim

You'll need to issue a formal claim to the local authority or National Highways and most responsible parties will have a template you can request from them. 

4. What to do if you do - or don't - get a compensation offer

After making the claim, you should be notified if compensation is being granted. 

Though you can still reject the value of the offer if you believe it isn't sufficient, especially if you have evidence that the pothole had already been reported but the responsible party had not acted to rectify it.

If the council refuses compensation, you can seek legal advice or make a case through the courts. 

However, a word of warning that this could be a time-consuming process and is likely to be worthwhile only if the repair bill is considerable. 

5. Final option: Make a claim through your insurance

If you have comprehensive cover, you can claim for pothole damage on your insurance policy. 

However, it's worth considering the cost of the damage as well as your excess payments and if this action will affect your No Claims Bonus.