Progress made on long road resurfacing journey
New government figures predict that nearly 7,000 miles of road resurfacing will be completed this year in a bid to tackle the UK’s pothole pandemic.
It has reported that local councils have increased road resurfacing by 10% so far in 2026 compared to the same period last year, backed by £4.9bn of government funding.
A further £220m will be committed to improving the quality of UK roads this year if targets continue to be met.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “For too long potholes have been a source of national embarrassment, forcing hard-working people to fork out for repairs and posing a danger to all road users. But today’s figures show that we are starting to turn a corner.
“While we know there is much more to do, our record funding, combined with tough new rules holding councils to account, mean that drivers are making smoother journeys while giving people roads they can rely on.”
RAC head of policy Simon Williams added: “It’s good to see so many miles of road being resurfaced, but it’s also positive that the preventative maintenance message has got through as we’ve long argued that councils need to take steps to stop potholes appearing in the first place, and not just patch them up. Surface dressing, if done properly, is a very cost-effective way of improving more roads for the long term.
“The proof, of course, will be in whether drivers and other road users notice the difference. Getting the country’s roads up to a decent standard, and keeping them there, isn’t an overnight job. But at least we’re now on the right track.
However, despite the improvements, the Pothole Partnership has said more needs to be done with pothole-related incidents rising by 4.6% between January and September.
Edmund King, AA president and member of the Pothole Partnership, said: “The journey to get our roads back to a smooth and safe condition is a long one. While councils have made good progress so far, sadly we have seen a 4.6% increase in pothole related incidents between January and September this year compared to the same period last year.
“The challenge for councils will be to use this money wisely, and focus on long-term resurfacing solutions and act quickly to protect drivers, motorcyclists and cyclists as we head into winter.”
