The number of cases of roads melting in the East of England has risen by 67% in the past three years, data obtained by the BBC has shown.
The region’s highways authorities reported more than 200 cases of melting roads in the past four years, following the BBC’s request for information. Experts said that part of the problem was caused by most UK roads being designed for cooler weather rather than prolonged periods of “extreme heat”.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said it was supporting local highway authorities to improve the resilience of road networks through guidance, tools and resources.
Earlier this year the A143 at Stanton, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, was shut as an emergency measure amid reports patches of asphalt were being lifted up by cars using the road.
It was the second time this year the road surface was reported to have melted as a result of high temperatures.
But the BBC, which asked all highways authorities in the East of England how many instances of roads melted by hot weather they had dealt with in each financial year since 2023, has now established the Stanton incident was merely one of dozens across the region.
According to comparable figures from eight authorities, the number of melted road cases rose from 33 in 2023-24 to 55 in 2025-26.
(Picture: Amol Polkade)
