
Potholes - More Than a Surface Issue white paper Helping Local Authorities find solutions to the UK's pothole problem Get your copy More Than a Surface Issue: 2025 Update The UK’s pothole crisis isn’t going away — and neither are we. Our 2025 update to More Than a Surface Issue dives into the latest data from the ALARM survey, revealing a stark picture of Britain’s road network. Councils now face a record £16.81 billion backlog in repairs, with pothole-related breakdowns and CO₂ emissions continuing to rise. Yet there’s hope - through smarter, whole-life approaches to ironwork and road maintenance. This year’s white paper shines a light on: How often potholes are being repaired - and at what cost The environmental impact of reactive maintenance (over 56,000 tonnes of CO₂ last year alone) The financial and carbon savings of planned repairs The latest thinking from local authorities, industry leaders and Wrekin experts We also share solutions - from innovative ironwork systems to collaborative strategies that reduce costs, carbon, and disruption. If you're responsible for maintaining roads or specifying access solutions, this is a must-read. WHITE PAPER Potholes - More than a surface issue Fill in your details below to receive your free copy of the report and discover how ironwork specifications can be linked to pothole formation and what features you should look for to mitigate the problem. Listen to the Podcast Tune in! We've recently united forces with IKO, the minds behind Pacopatch and Public Sector Executive on this crucial conversation in the PSE Podcast. We explore innovative, modern, long-term solutions to revolutionise the UK's road network. Together we're empowering local authorities to deliver safer, smoother roads for every UK road user at a lower whole-life cost. Join us as we pave the way to a better future on the road. You can listen to episode 62, "Changing mindsets" of the Public Sector Executive podcast on all good podcast apps by searching for Public Sector Executive Podcast or online by clicking below: Listen now! It doesn't have to be this way Every 16seconds a pothole is filled. at a total cost of £143.5 million. 2million potholes repaired in 23/24 totalling 60,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions produced by repairing potholes in 23/24. 30kg of CO2 emitted to repair a pothole each time an access cover is cut out to repair or replace. 30% reduction in structural life Insights from local authorities ◤ Industry analysis ◤ Efficient solutions Potholes across the UK’s road and highway network are a real problem. In fact, road incidents caused by pothole related damage in June 2023 were at their worst for five years, according to the AA Pothole Tracker. But did you know ironwork specification and selection can affect and even increase the likelihood of a pothole forming? Potholes will continue to be an even greater concern in the coming colder months due to the harsher weather conditions putting additional stress on asphalt surfaces. Our updated report explores; Some of the ways in which potholes are caused Identifies links to ironwork (both gully grates and manhole covers) What features of ironwork can increase the likelihood of pothole formation The changing road landscape with increased bus lanes and cycle routes How local authorities and industry bodies are tackling the issue, and Suggests solutions you should be looking for when specifying ironwork. Register for your copy Combined insight from Brighton & Hove City Council Derby City Council LCRIG Gaist Wrekin Solutions Unite Manhole Covers The most robust manhole cover range, packed full of features which combine to give Unite the longest life and lowest whole life cost available. Unite D400 Gully Grates Our premium Unite D400 gully grate combines new technology with proven features to deliver a super long-life and the lowest whole-life cost of any D400 gully grate. Highway Manhole Covers Highway is the most comprehensive range on the market with a huge variety of shapes, sizes and options, including our HaloHinge covers, which enable single person lifting. Highway Gully Grates The Highway range offers our most extensive variety of gully grates, including three flange, four flange and V gully grates. Unipak® A BBA HAPAS approved ironwork installation system that is designed to reduce risk of bedding failure, one of the main factors contributing to premature failure of chamber tops. H2GO Gully Chute Connector The H₂GO gully chute connector is designed to fix below a grating or kerb type gully unit with a primary catchment chamber and spigot outlet for onward pipe connection. These are ideal where gully grates are offset to gully pots, or where direct surface run off is required. Multigrate The temporary replacement for stolen or broken gully gratings that's simple, rapid and cost-effective to install. H2GO Kerb Unit A D400 kerb and drainage unit intended for site fitment onto a Gully Chute Connector unit used in a Group 3 location. Related content Share this page

Potholes - More Than a Surface Issue white paper

Helping Local Authorities find solutions to the UK's pothole problem

More Than a Surface Issue: 2025 Update

The UK’s pothole crisis isn’t going away — and neither are we.

Our 2025 update to More Than a Surface Issue dives into the latest data from the ALARM survey, revealing a stark picture of Britain’s road network. Councils now face a record £16.81 billion backlog in repairs, with pothole-related breakdowns and CO₂ emissions continuing to rise. Yet there’s hope - through smarter, whole-life approaches to ironwork and road maintenance.

This year’s white paper shines a light on:

How often potholes are being repaired - and at what cost
The environmental impact of reactive maintenance (over 56,000 tonnes of CO₂ last year alone)
The financial and carbon savings of planned repairs
The latest thinking from local authorities, industry leaders and Wrekin experts

We also share solutions - from innovative ironwork systems to collaborative strategies that reduce costs, carbon, and disruption. If you're responsible for maintaining roads or specifying access solutions, this is a must-read.

WHITE PAPER

Potholes - More than a surface issue

Fill in your details below to receive your free copy of the report and discover how ironwork specifications can be linked to pothole formation and what features you should look for to mitigate the problem.

Listen to the Podcast

Tune in! We've recently united forces with IKO, the minds behind Pacopatch and Public Sector Executive on this crucial conversation in the PSE Podcast.

We explore innovative, modern, long-term solutions to revolutionise the UK's road network. Together we're empowering local authorities to deliver safer, smoother roads for every UK road user at a lower whole-life cost. Join us as we pave the way to a better future on the road.

You can listen to episode 62, "Changing mindsets" of the Public Sector Executive podcast on all good podcast apps by searching for Public Sector Executive Podcast or online by clicking below:

Listen now!

It doesn't have to be this way

: Every 16seconds a pothole is filled.
at a total cost of £143.5 million.: 2million potholes repaired in 23/24
totalling 60,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions produced by repairing potholes in 23/24.: 30kg of CO2 emitted to repair a pothole
each time an access cover is cut out to repair or replace.: 30% reduction in structural life

Insights from local authorities ◤ Industry analysis ◤ Efficient solutions

Potholes across the UK’s road and highway network are a real problem. In fact, road incidents caused by pothole related damage in June 2023 were at their worst for five years, according to the AA Pothole Tracker.

But did you know ironwork specification and selection can affect and even increase the likelihood of a pothole forming?

Potholes will continue to be an even greater concern in the coming colder months due to the harsher weather conditions putting additional stress on asphalt surfaces.

Our updated report explores;