The war in Ukraine has lead to delays in repairing potholes in England and Wales, local authorities have found. Pothole repair costs have soared since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to new analysis.
The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents more than 350 councils in England and Wales, said many of its members have been hit by a 22% spike in the cost of road maintenance such as fixing potholes and relaying surfaces since the conflict escalated in February 2022. Before the invasion, around 60% of bitumen – a material used to repair roads across the UK – was sourced from Russia. Councils now have to ration bitumen and find it from other markets, pushing up costs and delaying road repairs.
Local authorities were already facing a significant road repair backlog, with latest estimates stating it would take them 10 years and £12 billion to bring all surfaces up to scratch. Spiralling energy costs and inflation also mean there has been a 38% increase in the bill for running and repairing street lights over the last six months.
