No one can have failed to notice the poor state of our county’s roads. A combination of a lack of road maintenance and several wet winters have made a poor road network even worse. Some stretches of road are in a terrible state and have been repeatedly patched but need completely resurfacing.

There are a number of reasons why our road network is in a particularly poor state right now. Road maintenance was significantly reduced during the pandemic and many councils are catching up on a backlog of repairs. While we had average rainfall in the most recent winter, 2023-24 was one of the wettest ever, and water is a key factor in the break-up of our highways. If drains, culverts and ditches are not clear, water can collect on the road. When it freezes, it cracks up the road surface creating a pothole.

The last full year before the pandemic, 706 potholes were reported to Monmouthshire County Council. In the last financial year, 3,204 potholes were reported. This is a phenomenal increase in potholes, while the number of potholes the council filled last year was fewer than in pre-pandemic years. Due to demand, it’s taking the council longer to fill potholes. On average, pre-pandemic, it took the council 10.5 days from a pothole being reported to repairing it. Today that figure is more like 18 days. This is, in turn, leading to an increase in claims to motorists for damage to vehicles.

There are two ways to fill a pothole. The quickest way is to fill a pothole with cold tar and flatten it down. Council highways engineers can fill over a 100 potholes a day this way. But they often let water in and break up within a matter of weeks or months, but it’s a quick way of making the highway safe and reducing claims. The better but slower way is to dig out all the dead tarmac, fill the hole with hot tar, use a roller over the top and seal around the edges. My colleague Cllr Tony Kear secured a trial of a JCB Pothole Pro in Monmouthshire – a machine that speeds up proper pothole repairs. Unfortunately, the council administration has not pursued this option.

Potholes are a danger to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. We need to see urgent action to catch up on the backlog of road maintenance and ensure the road network is safe for all.