London's pothole hotspots revealed: which areas are worst hit?

English councilsmust prove that they are tackling potholes or face losing funds, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

The prime minister announced an additional £4.8 billion of funding to undertake work on motorways and major A-roads. He emphasised that councils must “get on with the job” of fixing potholes.

They are depressions or holes in the surface of a road caused by wear and tear, often due to weather conditions and traffic.

Potholes are particularly prevalent in London, creating danger for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians alike. A report by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) said that London local authorities have filled in 847,127 potholes in the last decade — one every six minutes on average.

Driving over potholes may not immediately damage a vehicle but it can have a cumulative impact on wheels over time, with cyclists and motorcyclists especially vulnerable.

Here’s which areas of London have the most potholes.

Barnet has the most potholes in London, with 4,656 potholes reported on FixMyStreet.com as of 2024. FixMyStreet is a UK-based website and mobile app designed to allow residents to report local infrastructure problems.

Barnet is larger than other boroughs and contains several major routes such as the M1 and North Circular. This means that there is more traffic, increasing wear and tear on the roads.

Meanwhile, Harrow Council has paid out more than £200,000 in compensation for accident and injury claims caused by potholes and pavement defects since 2020.

Other boroughs that are facing a pothole crisis include Islington, Croydon, Camden, Haringey and Newham.

Potholes are formed by the expansion and contraction of groundwater that has infiltrated the ground under the pavement.

When water freezes, it takes up more space under the pavement, causing it to weaken. When the ice melts, the pavement contracts, leaving gaps in the surface where more water can enter. This process continues over time.

As cars pass over these weak spots, the road weakens even more, creating a pothole.

Poorly constructed or insufficiently maintained roads are more prone to developing potholes. Lack of proper drainage, poor quality materials, and inadequate repairs can all cause road surfaces to weaken.

Chemicals such as road salt, often used for de-icing, can accelerate the break down of roads. Salt can seep into cracks in the pavement, weakening the structure and exacerbating pothole formation.

In mid-April, local authorities will get their share of the £1.6 billion in highway maintenance funding confirmed in 2024. They must publish annual progress reports to receive this funding.

But according to David Giles, Chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), investment must be used wisely. Nearly £1.4 billion has been spent on carriageway maintenance in London over the last decade, yet there has been “no quantifiable uplift in the condition and resilience of the network”.

Mr Giles said “most (82 per cent) London borough highway teams reported that, in their opinion, there has been no improvement to their local network over the last year: a view no doubt shared by the majority of road users.”

Regular inspections and the employment of weather-resistant materials will also be necessary to reduce the frequency of repairs.