Maximising money to tackle a record-breaking surge in potholes in Leicestershire is at the heart of this year’s highways maintenance programme.
Nearly 3,000 pothole reports were received in February alone – a 271% increase on the same month last year – and 8,763 in total since last May.
Leicestershire County Council is drafting in extra staff to speed up inspections and temporary repair methods are being used to keep roads safe while teams work through unprecedented numbers.
The work on potholes is part of the council’s near £29m highways maintenance programme for 2026/27 – with all of the money being spent keeping the county’s road network moving.
“We put every penny of the money government gives us to maintain roads to good use. We spend it wisely and make sure none of it goes to waste, and we never risk having to give the money back to the government.
“That’s why I want to thank everyone for telling us about potholes in your area. We saw the highest number of reports we’ve ever seen in January and February, so your reports help us to prioritise them.
“We’ve brought in extra staff to speed up inspections and repairs.”
Person:Councillor Adam Tilbury, cabinet member for highways
The summer maintenance programme, including a £3 million surface dressing programme has begun across Leicestershire, with more than 840,000 square metres (over 80 miles) of road given a preventative treatment to improve waterproofing and helping to prevent future potholes. Innovative materials will be used to boost the durability of resurfacing work.
Other highway work across the network includes resurfacing, bridge maintenance, flood alleviation work and gully cleaning.
“This winter was Leicestershire’s wettest on record, and a combination of storms, heavy rainfall, repeated ‘freeze–thaw’ cycles and sub-zero temperatures has placed an exceptional strain on our roads.
Person:Councillor Tilbury
“Combined with rising traffic levels and long-term national funding pressures, our road network is under real strain. However, we know we’re not alone in facing this challenge with the rest of the country seeing similar significant road deterioration.
“We’ve also had to temporarily adjust the way we fix potholes. These repairs may not look as neat, but they will do the job of making the road safe. Once volumes drop, we’ll return to carry out our usual more permanent repair standards.”
Report potholes via the council’s Report It form or by calling 0116 305 0001.