Pothole numbers have doubled in year, says council

The number of reported potholes in Kent has more than doubled in the past year, the local authority has revealed.

Kent County Council (KCC) said in January 2026 there had been 7,200 reports, compared to 2,800 in the same month in 2025 - a rise of 157%.

It blamed recent extreme weather as the main reason for the impact on highways.

A KCC spokesperson said a "prolonged cold spell after Christmas, followed by persistent heavy rainfall" had made problems "inevitable".

The latest figures on pothole repairs were provided to the council's Growth, Environment and Transport cabinet committee on Tuesday, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Under the Department for Transport's colour-coded performance ratings system, wherein scores range from green (highest) to red (lowest), KCC's repair of reported potholes within 28 days was shown to be rated green, both in December and the year to date.

It was also able to fix 92% of reported cases, which is 2% above the target rate.

"Combinations of freezing temperatures and heavy rain can accelerate the development of surface defects," said a KCC spokesperson.

"That is why we've seen a marked rise in reports compared with the same period last year," they said.

"At this time of year, the weather can prevent us from carrying out permanent repairs because cold and wet surfaces may stop materials bonding properly.

"So, we carry out temporary repairs to keep the road safe before returning to complete a long‑lasting fix as soon as conditions improve."

The figures are mirrored by the findings of the RAC, which saw an increase in its customers reporting breakdowns due to potholes this January, compared to the same time last year.

It attributed the issue to potholes being concealed by an "incredible amount of standing water".

RAC head of policy, Simon Williams, said: "We suspect that poor drainage may also be to blame, possibly as a result of councils not carrying out as much of work (to deal with it) as they have done in the past."

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