Middlesbrough Council is repairing potholes at the second highest rate of any local authority in the UK, according to a survey.
Between 2021 and 2025 a total of 47,154 pothole repairs were completed in the borough, equating to 8,144 per 100km of road.
The repair rate placed the council only behind in Redbridge, in Essex, the survey for online tyre fitter Blackcircles found.
The council’s response to a Freedom of Information request compiled for the survey also revealed that 13,163 reports of potholes from members of the public were received over the four year period.
Between 2021 and 2024 reports more than halved in number from 5,640 to 2,445 and last year they fell again to 1,671.
Blackcircles suggested that a major purge of potholes carried out in 2020/21 in Middlesbrough had helped contain the problem.
More recently, last year the council received a one-off grant of £750,000 for fixing potholes, part of a £4.15m Government funding package allocated for road maintenance and improvements.
In January it became only one of 16 highways authorities across England to receive a ‘green rating’ from the Department for Transport for the effectiveness of its maintenance and repair programme.
The DfT awards green, amber or red ratings, also taking into account road condition.
Former deputy mayor Cllr Antony High mans a roller as part of Middlesbrough Council’s 2020 ‘pothole purge’ (Image: MIDDLESBROUGH COUNCIL)
Councillor Peter Gavigan, Middlesbrough Council’s executive member for environment and sustainability, said: “A well-maintained and free-flowing road network is key to Middlesbrough’s long-term prosperity, and its ability to attract investment and visitors.
“We take a pro-active approach to tackling potholes – that work was boosted by last year’s funding award – and the excellent work carried out by our team has put us among the top-performing local authorities in the country in fixing potholes.
“More than 90 per cent of work carried out in Middlesbrough is preventative, and the recent DfT rating is recognition of our success in identifying and fixing problems early.”
The council has conceded that potholes remain a “continual issue in the borough and across the country”.
Mayor Chris Cooke previously said: “There’s always going to be wear and tear on busy roads, but I understand why people in Middlesbrough get so frustrated and annoyed by potholes.
“That’s why we have developed a strategy which focuses on spotting issues early and trying to maintain roads rather than wait for them to fail.”
Cllr Gavigan also said previously that “no road network will ever be perfect, but we are now focused on using better materials and smarter maintenance to stop those small faults becoming big, expensive repairs”.
Despite councils’ efforts, a report released last month by the Asphalt Industry Alliance, said there was a backlog of repairs in England and Wales which would cost £18.6bn to right entirely.
It suggested that despite the Government allocating an overall £1.6bn last year – an additional £500m – to help local authorities fix their roads in some areas new holes were springing up post winter faster than additional cash can be sunk into new road surfacing material.
Ray Kavanagh, CEO of Blackcircles, advised motorists: “If a driver hits a pothole, the safest approach is to maintain control of the vehicle, avoid sudden swerving, and check the tyres as soon as it’s safe to do so.
“Look for cuts, bulges, or loss of pressure, and pay attention to any changes in handling.
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“Addressing problems early can prevent more serious and possibly more expensive repairs further down the line.
“Reporting potholes can help them get repaired faster, saving other motorists from potential damage and hefty repair bills.
“Most local councils have a dedicated page on their website for reporting road faults, but because these pages are not uniform across the country, some are easier to find than others.”