Rachel Reeves didn’t tackle one major issue on Britain’s roads and UK drivers will be absolutely furious.
Has Rachel Reeves let British motorists down over potholes? (Image: Getty)
Rachel Reeves may be sitting contemplating her Downing Street future this week, but it shouldn’t be the only thing on the Chancellor’s mind. How to fix the UK’s roads should be at the top of the in-tray for any potential successor should the next Prime Minister make a change. Potholes must be fixed now.
Last week, I travelled through France and it really brought it all home. Britain’s roads are ravaged beyond repair. Across the continent, I enjoyed hours upon hours of blissful driving on almost pristine roads, almost resembling a billiards table.
Council pothole claims have risen by 90% in the past three years (Image: Getty)
One day back in Britain and my back is being pummeled by craters that wouldn’t look out of place on the moon. How has it all come to this? Labour knows the roads have completely had it. That’s why they keep doubling down on extra cash and promises.
Just last December, the Treasury confirmed a record £7.3 billion local roads boost. The new money was a doubling of annual road cash, with the promise that millions of potholes would be fixed.
And are they? It appears not. The RAC recorded around 225 pothole-related breakdown reports per day in February 2026, more than five times the daily average in 2025. Is it enough money? The UK’s pothole backlog stands at £18.62billion. So why wasn’t more money invested in the issue?
The Government has tried to be tough, threatening to withhold some funding from councils that fail to fix the issue. But do councils stand a chance when the backlog is so high? Councils play their part, with more than 10 local authorities already handed a red rating for failing to deal with the issues.
The bottom line is the UK needs a better long-term strategy. Simply filling holes with temporary fixes won’t solve the issue, despite ripping through the budget. More preventative maintenance and long-term road resurfacing are needed now before it is too late.
What’s more, fixing potholes would have been an easy PR win for the Chancellor and outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Surely this is one of the pair’s biggest open goals.
Not much in politics is visible to the naked eye. We aren’t all fortunate enough to listen to the negotiations at the G7, sit with Trump in the White House or be present around the cabinet table. But we are all looking at the appalling tarmac ripping holes into our cars and backs.
Motorists can see them every day and a designated campaign to fix Britain’s roads would have possibly handed Reeves and Starmer a much-needed political safety net.
