UK & London Potholes Statistics 2023

In the wake of the latest eye-opening reports on the UK's deteriorating road conditions, we at Cargiant have been inspired to take a closer look at London's own pothole landscape. Let's face it, we all have that one pothole, maybe even two, on our daily commute or routine journey that we never fail to miss. This personal experience with London's bumpy roads led us to delve into the 2023 pothole data specific to our city. Our exploration is not just about statistics; it's a relatable journey through the streets of London, shedding light on those familiar bumps and dips we encounter every day.

UK Pothole Overview

This section delves into the UK's pressing pothole problem, examining the frequency of breakdowns, the prevalence and density of potholes, government funding allocated for repairs, and recent trends in pothole repair efforts. Let's dive into the data to understand the full scope of this nationwide issue.

• In 2023, the RAC dealt with the highest number of pothole-related breakdowns in any third quarter since 2006​​.
• Over one million potholes are estimated to exist on UK roads, significantly impacting car breakdowns​​.
• The Government has allocated £5 billion to address pothole issues until 2025​​.
• Approximately six potholes per mile exist on council-controlled roads in England and Wales​​.
• 1.4 million potholes were filled in England and Wales between 2022 and 2023, a decrease from 1.7 million the previous year​​.
• Over 8,100 pothole breakdowns occurred between April and June 2023, the highest in five years. Additionally, there were 5,978 breakdowns from July to September 2023 due to damaged car parts likely caused by potholes, a 46% increase from the same period in 2022​​.

Pothole Complaints by Major UK City

We here at Cargiant have decided to deep dive into the pothole problem in major UK cities, offering a comparative analysis of their prevalence based on average monthly online searches, their reach within each city, and their respective ranks in terms of pothole issues. This analysis between November 1, 2022 - October 31, 2023 presents a city-by-city breakdown of the pothole landscape across the UK. Take a look:

Despite common perceptions, London ranks surprisingly well in pothole complaints among the UK's major cities, sitting at 15th out of 20. This suggests that, contrary to popular belief, London's roads are relatively in good shape. It's an encouraging sign for those navigating the city, and an added incentive for considering a used car from Cargiant. With London's roads being less plagued by potholes than expected, it's an opportune time to experience the joy of driving a quality vehicle from Cargiant, ensuring a smoother and more enjoyable journey across the city.

London-specific Pothole Stats

• In the capital, boroughs like Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, Waltham, and Sutton are notably efficient in pothole repairs, averaging just one day to fix a pothole after it's reported. Ealing follows closely with an average of 1.3 days for repairs between 2018 and 2020​​.
• Hammersmith and Fulham reported the lowest number of potholes at 141 over a three-year period​​.
• Redbridge Council trialled an innovative, low emissions Spray Injection Patching machine, capable of fixing potholes within two minutes. This technique resulted in 95% less carbon emissions compared to traditional methods and achieved 1,200 repairs in a single day and nearly 2,200 repairs over a 12-week period​​.

These statistics highlight London's proactive and efficient approach to handling potholes, making the city's roads smoother and safer for drivers.

London's road infrastructure

• London boasts approximately 13,600km of roads, which are crucial to the UK economy. This network caters to a wide array of road users, including motorists, buses, and cyclists​​.
• In 2022, an impressive 19.1 billion vehicle miles were travelled across the 9.2 thousand miles of roads in London. This high volume of traffic underlines the city's role as a major hub for road transportation​​.
• Reflecting the importance of its road infrastructure, London saw the greatest expenditure on new work infrastructure construction in the UK, with a spend of £6.9 billion in 2021. This investment is not only a testament to the current state of the infrastructure but also to its continual improvement and expansion​​.

These statistics collectively highlight London's commitment to maintaining and enhancing its road network, making it an ideal city for driving experiences.

Pothole Complaints by Major UK City Methodology

We used Google Keyword Planner to find the average monthly searches of the following keywords in each of the 20 major UK cities. We then cross-referenced this against the population of each city to work out the % of pothole complaints per city.

Keywords:

• fix my pothole
• pothole claim
• pothole complaint
• pothole complaint letter
• pothole repair
• pothole report
• pothole reporter
• report road damage

Timeframe:

November 1, 2022 - October 31, 2023

Sources:

• https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/transport/improving-londons-roads/road-network
• https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/regions/6
• https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/productivitymeasures/articles/developingnewmeasuresofinfrastructureinvestment/may2023
• https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/driving-advice/rac-pothole-index-statistics-data-and-projections/
• https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/london-boroughs-most-least-potholes-20293869
• https://londonlovesbusiness.com/london-borough-trials-low-carbon-fix-for-potholes/