UK Government pledges funding to fix up to 7 million potholes in England this year
- Roads Minister visits JCB plant in Derbyshire on National Pothole Day, to see how the government’s record £1.6 billion boost is fixing the nation’s roads
- new funding includes £75 million for the East Midlands which will see councils across England fill up to 7 million more potholes this year
- as part of its Plan for Change, the government is investing to boost infrastructure and tackle the pothole plague to get Britain moving
Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, is marking National Pothole Day (15 January 2025), with a visit to the JCB Factory outside Derby, to see cutting-edge technology helping councils tackle potholes.
Derbyshire, highlighted by the RAC as the worst area in England for potholes, is set to benefit from a share of the government’s record £1.6 billion investment to resurface across England.
This includes an additional £20 million for the East Midlands County Combined Authority, which includes Derbyshire, as part of a £1.6 billion funding for highway maintenance that will enable councils to fix up to 7 million more potholes.
At the J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited (JCB) power systems factory, the Roads Minister will speak to engineers to learn about the latest innovations being used to tackle the pothole plague. She will operate JCB’s ‘pothole pro’, a machine that can fix a pothole in 8 minutes, with a cost of around £30. The ‘pothole pro’ is currently used by 20 local authorities.
The minister will also meet with local leaders to discuss their plans for filling potholes to deliver safer, quicker and less costly journeys for all road users in Derbyshire. This is part of the government’s plans to work more closely with local authorities to ensure they have the powers to spend it where their communities need it most.
As part of its Plan for Change, the government is committed to delivering safer, smoother journeys – reducing delays, saving drivers money and going above and beyond its manifesto pledge.
Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said: “Potholes are a clear sign of decline in our infrastructure and for too long roads like those in Derbyshire have been left in a state that endangers and costs road users.
“It’s time for change and we are investing £1.6 billion to fix up to 7 million more potholes across England this year, including over £75 million for the East Midlands Combined Authority.
“JCB’s ‘pothole pro’ is one of the many great examples of using new technology to repair potholes faster and demonstrates how companies are harnessing new technology to repair potholes faster.
“We’ll continue to engage with local leaders and industry to ensure innovations are being used to deliver roads the country deserves.”
Ben Rawding, general manager, municipalities at JCB, said: ” We are looking forward to introducing the minister to the benefits that innovation and technology can deliver in tackling the plague of potholes in our country.
“Last month’s announcement by the Department of Transport of £1.6 billion of funding for road repairs in England during 2025 is very welcome. Our appeal to the Minister will be for this funding to be spent wisely to ensure permanent long-term repairs become the priority for local authorities making best use of value-adding, productive technology such as the JCB pothole pro.”
RAC senior policy officer, Rod Dennis, said: “There’s no motoring-related issue drivers are more concerned about than the state of their local roads – where almost everyone’s journeys begin and end.
“Going beyond merely patching potholes is the name of the game, and using the latest technology to perform permanent repairs is a much better use of public money. To stop our roads falling apart in the first place, we support councils surface dressing them at regular intervals and resurfacing those that are beyond reasonable repair.
We’d also strongly encourage drivers to report potholes they’re aware of to their local authority, via GOV.UK, the RAC website or using the Stan app.”
The UK government’s latest road maintenance funding builds on the wider support it’s giving to councils to deliver core services and serve their communities.
£69 billion of funding will be injected into council budgets across England to help them drive forward the government’s Plan for Change through investment and reform and to fix the foundations of local government.
You can report potholes on GOV.UK, using the RAC website or the Stan app.
83% of drivers paying out of pocket for pothole damage
Insurance experts are urging drivers to understand how they can claim for motor damage caused by potholes.
This comes after a survey from Quotezone.co.uk reveals 92% of drivers feel potholes in their local area are getting worse.
Because of this, many drivers are having to take evasive action to help prevent an incident or unnecessary damage.
Nine out of ten, (94%), admit to having swerved a dangerous pothole to avoid damaging their car, but the insurance experts say these actions could actually see drivers penalised, disqualified from driving, or hit with penalty points for careless and inconsiderate driving.
Motorists could find themselves hit with fines of up to £2,500 if their attempts to avoid pothole damage are viewed as driving without due care and attention.
Of those who have experienced vehicle damage due to potholes, over four in five (83%) have paid out of pocket for repairs, while only 6% have claimed through their insurance company.
Drivers can claim for pothole vehicle damage either through the local council looking after the road, local road authority, or through their insurance provider.
It’s important to remember no claims discounts will likely no longer be in place for those who choose to claim through their insurance, and they will normally have to pay the excess fee, so it’s worth weighing up the savings.
Before making a report to the local council, it’s important to gather as much information as possible to help prove eligibility to claim and that the damage was caused by a pothole – witnesses to the incident and evidence from a trained mechanic can help with this.
Motorists are also told to record where and when the accident occurred and take a photo if it is safe to do so, noting the size and location of the pothole. Note the pothole in question normally needs to be at least 40mm deep. Copies of this essential information can then be used when making the report to the council or local road authority depending on the area.
Greg Wilson, Founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk said: “With the battle against potholes surging across the country, it’s not surprising to hear so many are having to make manoeuvres to avoid driving over dangerous potholes.
“Costly damage to vehicles is the last thing any driver needs right now, but we want to help them understand what they are entitled to if they can prove they have experienced vehicle damage as a result of driving over an unrepaired pothole.
“Many drivers are unaware their attempts to avoid car damage from dangerous potholes could see them penalised. From our survey, 66% of drivers admitted they were not aware swerving potholes was illegal.
“However, with 92% saying the potholes in their area are an increasing problem and are not being fixed quickly or at all – it is not surprising to hear that so many are having to make potentially dangerous manoeuvres to avoid hitting potholes.
“When claiming, it’s key to include as much information as possible – you could also provide contact details for anyone who witnessed the incident.
“This will all strengthen your case when it comes to proving the damage was caused solely by the unrepaired pothole and helping you to secure the appropriate compensation.
“If you have tried to claim through the local council and been turned away, you can look to your insurance provider for protection. If your policy is fully comprehensive then pothole damage is normally covered as standard.
“You will need to provide them with as much information as possible and help them to understand how the damage was solely caused by the unrepaired pothole.
“However, when taking this route, it is important to remember your no claims discount will likely be affected, so check the policy details carefully and look for no claims bonus protection – also try quoting with the claim added to see if your premium price will change, to help you make the decision.”
Quotezone helps millions of UK drivers every year compare car insurance quotes and find real savings across all sorts of products including car insurance for learner drivers, affordable car insurance for new drivers and even fleet insurance.
