Cost of fixing potholes up 35% in seven years

NEW figures show the cost of repairing Scotland’s potholes has soared.

Potholes are frustrating for road-users. Picture: Ian Georgeson

Council spending on road repairs has gone up from £163 million in 2007/08 to £220m in 2013/14 – an increase of 35 per cent.

Last year alone, 17 out of 26 councils overspent on road repairs, while between 2007-2014, 18 out of 26 councils spent more than they were allocated trying to keep up with road repairs.

The Scottish Conservatives have repeated calls made in their 2011 manifesto to create an additional pothole fund to enable struggling councils to catch up with their long-standing road repairs.

Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Alex Johnstone MSP said: “We’re calling for an end to the current slap-dash approach to fixing our roads.

“Thousands upon thousands of road users have to put up with the state of Scotland’s roads every day and many are understandably angry and fed-up.”