Pothole-related breakdowns increase by 15% last year
The RAC has revealed that pothole-related breakdowns rose 15% last year, with average repairs costing £590.
Its patrols attended 26,048 pothole-related breakdowns in 2025, which averages 71 every single day. This is up from 62 a day in 2024.
The RAC Pothole Index data also suggested the situation is getting worse not better. In the final quarter of 2025 the number of pothole-related breakdowns it attended rose by six per cent on the final three months of 2024.
This comes after the government announced its new ‘traffic light’ ratings system, which helps drivers assess the condition of roads by rating them green, amber and red. Analysis of these ratings have shown that just 17% of councils in England are currently rated green.
Woeful roads
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Record levels of funding from central government and a requirement for councils to demonstrate how they’re making best use of it – to stop potholes appearing in the first place, not just to patch them up – should spell the end of the woeful roads many drivers are sadly used to.
“But as our latest data shows, drivers are still breaking down in their thousands as a direct result of potholes. So, while there’s light at the end of the tunnel, it’s still a frustratingly long way off.
“The effects of the country’s cold spell at the end of December and into the New Year also remain to be seen when it comes to our failing highways. Wet roads, followed by snow and ice, are the ideal conditions for potholes to form, especially on roads that haven’t had preventative maintenance.”
Smoother surfaces
Williams continued: “But it’s not all doom and gloom. After years of campaigning, we’re extremely pleased the government has listened to us and major voices within the road maintenance industry by now demanding local authorities use techniques like surface dressing to keep their roads in a better condition for longer.
“The route to smoother driving surfaces is surprisingly simple: ensure water always drains off the roads, fix potholes as permanently as possible, seal roads against water ingress through preventative maintenance, and resurface those that have gone beyond the point of no return.”
