Hot And Bothered

The UK’s brief summer heatwave has triggered a spike in pothole-related breakdowns, according to The AA.

It reverses earlier signs of improvement in road conditions after government investment in repairs,  renewing calls for better long-term investment in repairs to the road network.

Heating up

Figures from the AA show a 2% rise in pothole callouts in July 2025 compared with the same month last year — 50,091 incidents compared with 49,081 — despite a year-to-date drop of nearly 8%.

The motoring organisation says the heat has “exposed the fragility” of Britain’s roads, with rural routes and less frequently maintained surfaces particularly vulnerable.

Earlier in 2025, callout volumes had fallen, raising hopes that a £1.6 billion boost in Government road maintenance funding was starting to make a difference.

But AA president Edmund King said the recent surge showed how quickly weather extremes can undo progress.

“This summer’s heatwave has starkly exposed the fragility of Britain’s roads,” King said. “While investment and repair campaigns have made a difference, the recent setback illustrates that much more must be done to create a safe and reliable road network for everyone. We urge the Government and local authorities to redouble their efforts in tackling the pothole crisis, prioritising rural routes and frequently used cycling and motorcycling corridors.”

The Pothole Partnership — which includes the AA, JCB, British Cycling and the National Motorcyclists Council — has also voiced concern, noting that summer driving often takes motorists onto unfamiliar country lanes, where thin road surfacing and reduced maintenance budgets can magnify the problem.

Rising temperatures, rising risks
Hot weather can cause the bitumen in road surfaces to soften, weakening the structure and making it more prone to damage from heavy vehicles.

Over time, this accelerates cracking, which water can penetrate when it rains, leading to pothole formation.

While winter frost heave is a well-known cause of potholes, the AA says summer heat can be just as damaging, particularly when combined with older, worn surfaces.

David Giles, chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), said the latest AA figures reflected a deeper, systemic issue: “Network resilience is declining due to long-term underfunding, with today’s figures highlighting the impact this can have on road users, particularly on unclassified roads. Patching and mending is not the answer”.

He urges sustained, targeted funding for local authority highways teams to enable full-scale resurfacing rather than short-term fixes.

The AIA’s 2025 Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) report found that just 48% of roads in England and Wales are in ‘good’ structural condition, with an estimated £16.8bn needed to clear the repair backlog.

Without consistent funding, the alliance warns, pothole problems will continue to recur despite occasional funding boosts.

The numbers behind the bumps
The AA’s Pothole Index shows annual pothole callouts peaking at 647,690 in 2023 before dipping slightly to 643,318 in 2024.

So far in 2025, 301,295 incidents have been recorded between January and July, averaging just over 50,200 a month.

While the early-year downward trend offered some hope, July’s heatwave has proved a setback — and with hotter summers predicted due to climate change, experts say road-building and repair techniques will need to adapt.

“We must start thinking about road surfaces that can withstand greater extremes,” King said. “It’s not just about fixing today’s potholes — it’s about building resilience for tomorrow’s weather.”

For now, drivers are being urged to take extra care, particularly on unfamiliar rural roads, and to report potholes to local councils to help target repairs before damage worsens.

AA Pothole Index