Middlesbrough Council is repairing potholes at the second highest rate of any local authority in the UK, according to a survey.<\/p>\n
Between 2021 and 2025 a total of 47,154 pothole repairs were completed in the borough, equating to 8,144 per 100km of road.<\/p>\n
The repair rate placed the council only behind in Redbridge, in Essex, the survey for online tyre fitter Blackcircles found.<\/p>\n
The council\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Blackcircles suggested that a major purge of potholes carried out in 2020\/21 in Middlesbrough had helped contain the problem.<\/p>\n
More recently, last year the council received a one-off grant of \u00a3750,000 for fixing potholes, part of a \u00a34.15m Government funding package allocated for road maintenance and improvements.<\/p>\n
In January it became only one of 16 highways authorities across England to receive a \u2018green rating\u2019 from the Department for Transport for the effectiveness of its maintenance and repair programme.<\/p>\n
The DfT awards green, amber or red ratings, also taking into account road condition.<\/p>\n
Former deputy mayor Cllr Antony High mans a roller as part of Middlesbrough Council’s 2020 ‘pothole purge’ (Image: MIDDLESBROUGH COUNCIL)<\/p>\n
Councillor Peter Gavigan, Middlesbrough Council\u2019s executive member for environment and sustainability, said: \u201cA well-maintained and free-flowing road network is key to Middlesbrough\u2019s long-term prosperity, and its ability to attract investment and visitors.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe take a pro-active approach to tackling potholes \u2013 that work was boosted by last year\u2019s funding award \u2013 and the excellent work carried out by our team has put us among the top-performing local authorities in the country in fixing potholes.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
The council has conceded that potholes remain a \u201ccontinual issue in the borough and across the country\u201d.<\/p>\n