Extra council staff drafted in to deal with massive increase in Leicestershire potholes
Extra council staff have been drafted in to speed up inspections and make temporary repairs after a massive increase in potholes was reported on Leicestershire’s road network.
The county council say nearly 3,000 pothole reports were received in February, alone – a 271 per cent increase on the same month last year – and 8,763 in total since last May.
The work to make them safe is a key part of County Hall’s near £29M highways maintenance programme for 2026/27.
Councillor Adam Tilbury, cabinet member for highways, said: “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.”
The summer maintenance programme, including a £3M 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 are being used to boost the durability of resurfacing work.
Other highway work across the network includes resurfacing, bridge maintenance, flood alleviation work and gully cleaning.
Councillor Tilbury added: “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.
“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.”
Go to www.leicestershire.gov.uk/report-a-road-problem or call 0116 305 0001 to report a pothole on a Leicestershire road.