Potholes to increase due to rise in use of heavy lorries, LGA warns

The Local Government Association (LGA) has warned that pothole levels are likely to surge because of a spike in levels of heavier lorries wearing down roads.

Statistics show that the number of goods lorries on roads each year has risen by five per cent to almost 1.7 billion tonnes from the previous year. The increase in heavier vehicle use means more pressure is exerted on road surfaces, causing them to crumble quicker and form potholes.

The LGA warned a vehicles ability to damage a road rises exponentially as the weight of the vehicle increases.

The LGA outlined that over the remaining years of the decade the government is investing over 40 times more in maintaining national roads (£1.1 million per mile; national roads make up just 3 per cent of all total roads) compared with local roads, which are controlled by councils (£27,000 per mile; 97 per cent of England's road network).

Cllr Martin Tett, LGA Transport spokesman, said: "Motorists should literally be bracing themselves for a surge in potholes. Our local roads network faces an unprecedented funding crisis and the latest spike in lorries could push our local roads network over the edge.

Lorries exert massively more weight on road surfaces than cars, causing them to crumble far quicker.

"This year could be a tipping point year regarding potholes and councils, who have experienced significant budget reductions, now face the looming prospect of a bill of £14 billion to bring the nation's roads up to scratch.

"Our roads crisis is only going to get worse unless we address it as a national priority. The government's own traffic projections predict a potential increase in local traffic of up to 55 per cent by 2040. Councils need long-term and consistent funding to invest in the resurfacing projects which our road network desperately needs over the next decade.”