Research shows that there has been a 32% rise in the number of potholes on England’s local roads. There is now on average one pothole every 120 yards on our roads.

It is estimated that £8.5 billion will need to be spent on repairing and restoring the condition of the roads. A report from Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) claims that it will take up to 13 years to clear the backlog and fully restore the roads.

Road surfaces are often tampered with by utility and other services which accounts for the approximate two million trenches dug in our roads. These works reduce the quality and lifespan of the roads which effectively is accelerating the pothole problem.

East Cleveland had previously been granted £1 million to improve streets in the area making it safer for residents.

In areas such as Brotton and Lingdale, engineers are currently working on a £250,000 scheme putting together ideas for the area that are due to take to consultation with the areas residents and councillors.

Councillor Steve Kay claims that the investment will also be an accident prevention scheme. He goes onto say that, “Several senior citizens have been involved in nasty falls, trying to negotiate treacherous unmade streets full of potholes. I’m delighted East Cleveland people have been given a real say in how this project has evolved”. So far several areas including Redcar, Guisborough, Loftus and Lingdale have benefited greatly from the scheme.

Studies show that a colossal £2.8 billion is being spent on vehicle damage caused by potholes in the road, it isn’t just car users that are feeling the effect. Cyclists are also failing victim to these road obstructions, leading to costly repair bills and leaving some cyclists with severe injuries.

Websites like FillThatHole.org.uk have been set up in order to report potholes to local authorities and councils. Over 21,000 complaints have been made since this website has been set up and over 7,000 of these reports have lead to roads being successfully repaired.