Record funding, record results: 7,000 miles of smoother journeys as government tackles potholes
Extra £220 million released for pothole repairs as figures show record road maintenance spend by councils.
- new reports show record spending on road maintenance, with councils spending over £800 million more than 2 years ago to help motorists avoid unnecessary repair bills
- nearly 7,000 miles of road resurfacing taking place this year, up 10% on last year
- government releases a further £220 million today to councils across England to go even further to repair potholes across the country
Nearly 7,000 miles of road resurfacing – the equivalent of travelling between London and Singapore – will be completed this year according to new figures published today (21 October 2026) as the government looks to give drivers more breathing space and help with the cost of living.
Figures from local councils shows over 10% more resurfacing than took place last year as data also shows that councils are starting to properly invest in their roads with £4.9 billion total being spent this year, £800 million more than before this government came to power.
The record figures show that the government’s £7.3 billion in funding for road maintenance is starting to deliver better roads for communities that have suffered from potholes, helping the average driver save up to nearly £600 pounds on costly repairs.
Following the publication of today’s data, the government has gone even further and unlocked £220 million in incentive-based funding to councils across England for meeting performance-based targets. Further funding will be released later in the year only if councils reach their performance targets, and can be withheld if they fail to reach them as part of the government’s efforts to hold councils to account.
Potholes continue to be a daily nuisance for drivers across the country, whether they’re travelling to work, the school run or a hospital appointment. But record funding and new measures to hold councils to account and make transport better, also shown in the recent announcement to tackle antisocial behaviour on transport, including £100 fines on buses and a crackdown on loud music on trains.
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.
The reports councils submitted to the government show that 94% of councils will complete preventative roadworks this year, stopping the same part of road being patched over and over again, and stamping out potholes before they have the chance to form in the first place.
It shows councils are doing more preventative works than last year, where only 76% did this work, showing that councils are changing behaviour as a result of clear direction from government, record funding and strict monitoring – meaning more money stays in the pocket of drivers.
Meanwhile additional figures released last week show local road conditions improved in the year ending March 2026, with less minor roads needing maintenance as a result of works last year.
Dan Joyce, Operations Director at Kwik Fit, said:
Kwik Fit teams across the country have been repairing damage from potholes all too often, with tyres, wheels and suspension components most frequently suffering from the impact. Potholes not only cause costly damage, they can also present a significant risk to road safety.
We welcome this increased investment, especially the additional focus on proactive maintenance as this helps prevent potholes before they become a danger to road users, or a drain on drivers’ wallets.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said:
This data is encouraging. 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.
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