The RAC and the Road Surface Treatments Association have urged the government to require mandatory training in preventative pothole maintenance for councils that carry out little such work. In a letter to Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood, they argued that sealing road surfaces to prevent water entering cracks can help stop potholes forming.

The cost of bringing pothole-plagued local roads in England and Wales up to standard is estimated at £16.8 billion. The RSTA says many councils are ignoring preventative treatments that could be applied from around five years after a road is laid to extend its life. Leaving surfaces untreated can raise long-term costs, including the potential need to replace the top layer of asphalt after as little as ten years.

Data analysed by the RAC show that about half of England’s local highway authorities did not use any preventative maintenance on A roads in 2023/24. For B, C and unclassified roads, 36% failed to carry out any of this work. The RAC’s Simon Williams said the reactive maintenance approach is expensive because only a portion of the network is treated, contributing to potholes and poor road conditions. The RSTA’s Mike Hansford said training should be mandatory to address knowledge gaps as skilled engineers retire. A Department for Transport spokesperson said drivers spend around £500 on average to repair pothole damage and that the government is investing £24 billion to maintain and improve motorways and local roads over the next five years; councils must show progress or risk losing part of this year’s funding boost. A Local Government Association spokesperson said councils work hard to prevent potholes and fix them when they appear, and that longer-term funding certainty and a fairer share of the £24 billion roads fund will enable more preventative treatments.