Russian invasion of Ukraine causing soaring costs to fix UK’s pothole problem

21st Sep 2022

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine earlier this year, the cost of living has drastically risen – as fuel and energy have become increasingly more expensive. However, the wider impact of this has started to affect UK roads.

Fuel, goods, and services that were historically imported from Russia have been cut or fallen to record low levels, in an effort to stop President Putin’s war in the Ukraine.

As a result, the UK’s pothole problem has reached an ‘unprecedented’ level.

According to research from the Local Government Association (LGA), which represents more than 350 councils in England and Wales, its members have seen a 22% rise in the cost of road maintenance.

This is because around 60% of bitumen, a material used to repair potholes, was bought from Russia prior to the invasion.

As a result, local councils are now looking to source the product from other nations – but in the meantime, higher prices and increasing delays are leading to potholes and road defects being unresolved.

A recent study revealed that even before the invasion, it would take 10 years and more than £12 billion to fix all road defects in the UK.

And it is not just repairing potholes that are being shelved in recent months. Current energy prices and nationwide inflation rates have led to a 38% increase in the cost for running and repairing streetlights over the last six months.

LGA's transport spokesman David Renard commented: “As this stark new analysis shows, councils across the country are facing unprecedented increased costs to repair our local roads, keep our street lights switched on and invest in improved local infrastructure.

“Global pressures, such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as increasing inflation and a shortage of materials, have all provided the perfect storm for councils and piled pressure on already stretched local budgets.

“To tackle this issue, the new Government must cover these increased costs for councils or risk road conditions getting worse or reductions in other services.

“Only with adequate long-term funding - to cover increased cost pressures and invest in local services - and the right powers, can councils deliver for our communities, tackle the climate emergency, and level up all parts of the country.”

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, continued: “This analysis shows that alongside households, pubs and other businesses suffering from the dramatic hike in energy prices, local highway authorities are also feeling the pinch, made sharper by the consequences of the war in Ukraine.

“Patching potholes might pale into insignificance as a problem when compared to the devastation and human misery caused by President Putin's actions, but the funding squeeze on local spending will soon start to feel more real if authorities are going to struggle just to keep the streetlights on.

“While we might hope that what we are seeing is a short-term challenge, the reality is that we need a long-term solution that doesn't risk road spending being perennially crowded out by authorities' social care responsibilities.”

Have you noticed the quality of UK roads diminishing since the Russian invasion of Ukraine? Do you have any road defects near you that are in urgent need of repair? Let us know in the comments below.