Potholes Surge as Council Cuts Back on Road Maintenance Efforts

Carmarthenshire is facing a pothole crisis, with numbers nearly doubling in just a year. Budget cuts are leading to more road issues, raising concerns among local officials and residents.

Potholes Surge as Council Cuts Back on Road Maintenance Efforts
Potholes Surge as Council Cuts Back on Road Maintenance Efforts

Carmarthenshire: Last year, over 10,000 potholes were reported on local roads. That’s almost double the number from 2023.

For years, the average was around 2,000 potholes annually. But in 2022, that number jumped to over 6,000. Now, it’s hit a staggering 10,114 in 2024.

A council report pointed out that this increase is due to low investment in road maintenance. They expect this trend to continue, leading to even more road problems down the line.

Currently, the maintenance backlog is a whopping £77 million. Councillor Gareth Thomas mentioned that the report was tough to digest. Chris Nelson, the highway asset manager, noted that better reporting might explain some of the rise in pothole numbers.

Unfortunately, there’s no funding from the Welsh Government for road repairs in the next two years. However, the council is looking into other funding options, like the resilient roads fund.

To keep the roads in decent shape, the council needs to spend £8 million each year. But last year, they only spent £1.6 million on capital funding and £1.3 million on repairs. This spending is among the lowest in Wales.

If things don’t change, the percentage of poor roads could rise from 10% to 23% in ten years. Plus, 18% of road drains are blocked, and 7% have major issues.

On a positive note, repair teams have been busy, fixing nearly 4,400 potholes from October 2023 to March 2024. They’ve also made some budget cuts, like reducing the number of gritters and using recycled materials for road repairs.

The council’s committee praised the highways team for their efforts despite budget cuts. But there are worries about further cuts to road cleaning services planned for 2025-26.

To address concerns about the budget, the council has set aside £320,000. They hope to allocate some of this to the highways department to prevent further cuts.

Mr. Nelson mentioned that many roads in Carmarthenshire are old and rural, lacking proper drainage. He emphasized the importance of road cleaning and gully emptying, even as they look for ways to save money.

Image Credits and Reference: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/potholes-carmarthenshire-roads-traffic-maintenance-30885047
Disclaimer: The images we share here are intended for informational purposes and comply with fair use. Sourced from public platforms. Questions? Contact us.
Fact-Checking Policy: Every effort is made to provide accurate information, verified through reliable sources. Errors happen; please reach out, and we’ll address them swiftly.