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<\/p>\nThe council has approved \u00a310.3 million for road maintenance over the next five years<\/p>\n
An image of a huge pothole on Lower Ashley Road in St Pauls, Bristol – posted to FixMyStreet on Thursday, February 12, 2026(Image: FixMyStreet\/BristolCityCouncil)<\/p>\n
Bristol Live readers are frustrated that the city’s roads are expected to keep getting worse despite millions being spent on repairs, with council officials admitting far more money is needed just to stop conditions declining further<\/a>.<\/p>\n Anyone driving, cycling or using buses in the city already knows how bad many roads have become, with potholes, rough surfaces and constant patch repairs now a normal part of getting around Bristol.<\/p>\n The council has approved \u00a310.3 million for road maintenance over the next five years, but highways bosses say around \u00a39 million extra every year would actually be needed to properly keep on top of deterioration.<\/p>\n Thousands of potholes are filled annually, but many residents feel repairs are often temporary and roads quickly break up again. At the same time, the percentage of roads rated in good condition continues to fall.<\/p>\n Council officers say the problem is part of a wider national issue caused by rising repair costs, ageing infrastructure and wetter winters damaging road surfaces faster than before.<\/p>\n Commenter TalbotHill says: \u201cA lot of pothole repairs now feel more like temporary patch jobs than proper fixes. Loose material gets cleared, cold asphalt thrown in and flattened, but edges often aren\u2019t sealed properly, so water gets underneath and the repair breaks up again after freezing weather<\/a>. Years ago, repairs seemed far more thorough, with damaged sections properly cut out, treated, resurfaced and sealed to last. It does make you wonder how much quality checking is actually done, because many of these repairs will probably need doing again by next winter.\u201d<\/p>\n Keith D agrees: \u201cEven the paint they use to mark the holes fades away before anything is done!\u201d<\/p>\n Sandra O adds: \u201cI love how the councils draw a nice line around the potholes, so we can all drive like lunatics and swerve to avoid them. Maybe one day they’ll get around to actually fixing them.\u201d<\/p>\n MaxPowers writes: \u201cIn 2025 there were 1,338 potholes reported on FixMyStreet. So far this year there have already been 1,764 reports (132% of the 2025 total). It might be simpler to report the roads where there aren’t any potholes.\u201d<\/p>\n Suzanne A suggests: \u201cHere’s a thought…prevention is better than cure! If the roads had regular maintenance\/observation programmes, major works may not be needed! Just saying!\u201d<\/p>\n Anne D thinks: \u201cFunny how there always seems to be money for new \u2018affordable housing\u2019 schemes with rents that still aren\u2019t affordable for a lot of working people, but never enough money to sort the potholes and crumbling roads everyone uses every day. Instead we get endless patch jobs, damaged tyres and suspension bills while councils somehow keep finding millions for everything else. No wonder people start questioning the priorities.\u201d<\/p>\n Martin M agrees: \u201cBCC always says there\u2019s no money to properly fix potholes or maintain roads, yet somehow there always seems to be funding for planters, pavement art and endless transport experiments. People are driving around crumbling roads damaging their cars while the council focuses on cosmetic projects instead of basic services. Priorities seem completely backwards.\u201d<\/p>\n Bob T adds: \u201cFeels like people keep saying the same things over and over but the Greens and BCC just don\u2019t listen. They carry on pushing these big transport projects while loads of residents feel everyday life is just getting harder. More cycle lanes, less road space, more 20 mph zones, harder access for tradespeople and deliveries, and people even questioning how emergency services are supposed to get through some areas. Meanwhile the roads are falling apart and basic infrastructure barely gets maintained. That\u2019s why so many people are frustrated with the council\u2019s priorities.\u201d<\/p>\n