Edinburgh named one of the slowest cities in the UK to repair potholes on our damaged roads in new study
Edinburgh has been named one of the slowest cities in the UK to repair potholes, in a new study which revealed the 10 UK regions that are the slowest at resolving the issue.
Motoring experts at Blackcircles sent Freedom of Information requests to local authorities across the UK and surveyed 2,000 people as part of their research to determine the impact potholes have on motorists across the UK.
The study found that Edinburgh was the joint fifth worst area in the country for dealing with potholes, with 14 per cent of potholes reported to the local authority by residents not resolved in six months, the same figure as Norwich.
According to the survey, Liverpool and Sheffield residents have the slowest rate of road repair, with over one in six people (17 per cent) reporting that it takes over six months for potholes to be patched up in their cities.
Cardiff and Nottingham follow closely behind, with one in six (15 per cent) of residents feeling that potholes in their area took over six months to be resolved. Almost a third (32 per cent) of Cardiff residents also felt that they rarely saw or had never seen potholes in their area being fixed.
The study also revealed that over a quarter (26 per cent) of drivers surveyed have had their vehicles damaged by potholes at least once. While, just under a third (28 per cent) of respondents agreed that potholes in their area are rarely or never fixed.
The study also found that Hertfordshire Council paid the highest average in compensation claims due to potholes in 2023, at £367 per claim.
James Harding, a motoring expert with 15 years of experience at Blackcircles, commented on the findings from the pothole report.
He said: “The quality of the country’s roads has been heavily in the spotlight over recent weeks, with the Prime Minister pledging £1.6 billion towards fixing the pothole pandemic the UK faces, but many believe more needs to be done.
“Our latest research has uncovered the worst-hit areas of the UK for potholes, and Newcastle comes out on top. The northwest city reported 3,275 potholes per 100 kilometres of road and our survey revealed that a third of local motorists have suffered damage to their vehicle at least once due to the city’s potholes.
“As well as being a nuisance to motorists around the country, potholes are also putting a financial strain on local councils. The findings from our report revealed that Croydon was the area of the UK where the highest amount was spent repairing potholes, at over £500,000 per 100 kilometres of road.
“When combining the total cost spent on pothole repairs across the top 10 local authorities in our research, over £2.2 million has been spent, further highlighting the impact the quality of UK roads has on the country’s finances.”
Responding to the study naming Edinburgh as one of the slowest UK areas for fixing potholes, Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “Regarding potholes, we aim to inspect reports as quickly as possible and target an inspection within five working days and categorise and prioritise our defects to ensure that the worst potholes are actioned first.
“On a wider level residents have told us in no uncertain terms that they want us to improve our roads and that is what we’ve been getting on with. This is a policy area that we have committed vital funds to in successive budgets, with £11 million in 2023/24, £12.5m in 2024/25 and £12.5m in 2025/26.
“I know how frustrating road defects like potholes can be for all road users, and our teams are working hard to make sure Edinburgh’s roads and streets are maintained properly.”