Priority repairs to flood damaged roads are set to go ahead later this year, as Dorset Council responds to a record number of highway issues.
From December 2025 to February 2026, the council recorded a 92% increase in reported potholes, a 54% increase in other road defects and an 83% increase in emergency call-outs – compared to the same period last year.
The unprecedented level of rainfall at the start of 2026 was a significant contributor to the increases, with some roads under flood water for more than a month.
Now, thanks to an extra £5m investment agreed at last month’s Full Council meeting, the worst hit roads will be repaired later in the year.
Assessments of the priority road recovery works have begun, with a programme of drainage and surfacing schemes to follow.
Dorset Council’s Cabinet member for Place services, Cllr Jon Andrews, said: “Since the start of 2026 Dorset has faced some of the most persistent and disruptive flooding we have seen in many years. Our priority now is to repair the damage these storms have inflicted – our rural roads have taken a battering. We need dry conditions before this work can go ahead but we will be doing this at the earliest opportunity. Meanwhile, our highways team have been incredibly busy, repairing over 3,000 potholes in January and February alone.”
In the three months since 22 December, the council received nearly 10,000 highways related enquiries, responded to 862 emergency call-outs and repaired 5,508 highway defects.
The Met Office revealed that Dorset’s weather station at Hurn recorded its wettest January day in 74 years. While the first half of February saw 92.3mms of rain – almost exactly 200 per cent of the ten-year average for the month.
To provide immediate repairs to the increase in potholes, the council called upon extra staff from other departments – responding to emergency call outs within two hours and repairing the most serious potholes within 32 hours.
Urgency is assessed on the severity of the pothole and its location.
Cllr Andrews added: “We understand the frustrations from our residents when they see the state of some of our flood damaged roads, but they can be assured – our staff are working incredibly hard repairing potholes, with the most serious being repaired within hours. Over the longer term, it’s clear we must prepare for increasingly frequent extreme weather. Our extra £5m investment will not only target priority repairs but will also be used to deliver improvements that improve flooding resilience.”
PIC-DORSET COUNCIL
