Potholes cost motorists £1,000 a year - other road-users risk injury and death says Banburyshire campaigner
Potholes are costing motorists an average of £1,000 a year - and the state of the roads is risking injury and death to others, a Banburyshire campaigner says.
Brackley’s Mark Morrell, also known as Mr Pothole, was responding to new NFU Mutual figures showing motorists are spending £992 a year, on average, to rectify the cost of pothole damage.
The research shows that in the south west, drivers are paying out over £1,400 a year and in London, £1,500. The lowest figure is in the north-east at £426 and the average south-east cost is £723.
Mr Pothole said: “I am not surprised by the figures from the NFU survey. Badly maintained roads are costing the economy £14.4 billion.
"The current figures show the carriageway maintenance backlog in England and Wales alone is £17 billion. The current government announcement of £1.6 billion for pothole-filling will not tackle any part of the issue. The road network is deteriorating at a faster rate than the investment.
“It's been reported that apart from the financial cost to motorists, other road users are risking their lives and serious injuries, with 50 cyclists killed or seriously injured annually due to potholes.
"Badly maintained roads can also be lethal to motorbikes with the Motorbike Action Group reporting around 70 bikers killed or seriously injured,” he said. “Not until government funds an annual £3 billion (index linked) resurfacing programme going forward will there be any real change in our failing roads.”
The NFU says half of Brits say potholes are their biggest concern as road users and 47% have suffered damage to their vehicle as a result of poor road conditions.
The average annual cost of damage from potholes shot up by 72% in six months, from £682 in December 2024 to £992 in May 2025.
Andrew Chalk, car insurance specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “Potholes are unfortunately now not only an annoyance, but a danger to road users and their property.
“Our tracker survey shows that half of people in the UK see potholes as their biggest concern as a road user, far surpassing any other worries, and this is no surprise given the average cost of damage caused by potholes is reaching £1,500 in some areas.
“It’s not just motorists impacted. As a campaigner for rural road safety, we know that potholes and poor road condition can put vulnerable road users like cyclists, runners and horse riders at risk, either through collision or by having to come further into the road to avoid a pothole.
“The recently announced £1.6 billion road repair fund is welcome, but it certainly won’t eradicate the blight of potholes on our roads, so it’s worth all road users familiarising themselves with ways to mitigate damage where possible.”
Potholes can damage vehicles or trailers in a number of ways, including bending axles or warping chassis, puncturing or otherwise damaging tyres or wheels, and cracking or breaking suspension components. As well as being dangerous for the driver, potholes can also bend or break components on bicycles and motorcycles.