An additional £15 million will be invested across the next two years to fix potholes across Staffordshire, after the County Council announced that it is investing in tackling its ‘pothole backlog’. This comprises lower-level potholes that don’t cause a serious safety issue, but still need repairing.

The most serious potholes are repaired within 24 hours or seven days, depending on what category they are.

However, lower-level potholes that do not cause safety issues can take longer to repair, as the more dangerous ones are prioritised.

The extra investment, which was announced as part of the county council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), will also empower local highways teams to make locally informed decisions on where repairs are most needed, ensuring that communities see meaningful improvements in their immediate area.

Peter Mason, Staffordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Strategic Highways said:

“Residents have repeatedly highlighted potholes as a priority, and we know that they remain one of the biggest frustrations for motorists. We’re committed to delivering visible improvements on local roads, and while the most serious defects will continue to be repaired with 24 hours or 7 days, this funding will be used specifically to reduce the backlog of lower-level defects across the county.

“Added to this, with local teams making decisions on where to go and fix defects, we hope this will really make a difference to communities.”

(Picture: Staffordshire County Council)