The Asphalt Industry Alliance reports that 20% of roads in England and Wales are five years away from being unusable due to potholes. The government’s own DfT research suggested that 10% need to be repaired within a year.

The Road Haulage Association has lashed out at the government, saying that it and local authorities can do a lot more to repair potholes and other maintenance. They said that the repairs should be done so that “roads aren’t full of cracks waiting to turn into dangerous potholes”.

“The Government Local roads where hauliers make their last-mile deliveries are often in a poor state and the damage they can cause to HGVs – in particular to their suspension systems – can be considerable,” said Richard Burnett, RHA chief executive. “More potholes means more breakdowns, more roadworks and more delays. And delays in a ‘just in time’ economy are disastrous for business.”

“It’s not lost on us that the short-term impact of the recent severe weather – where supermarkets ran out of food because lorries couldn’t get through – is leaving a longer-lasting legacy that exposes years of neglect from government and local authorities. “Local roads must be included in any plans to improve the strategic road network.”