A report from the 'Grand Canyon' pothole

In the Staffordshire town of Kidsgrove stands an unusual local landmark.

A cluster of craters forms a patchwork of potholes that have become known as ‘The Grand Canyon’.

Residents in the area say they first complained about them at least 18 months ago and that a series of temporary fixes have been made by the council.

Yet still the “Canyon” remains a clear hazard to road users, according to locals.

What’s happened in this town highlights the much bigger picture across England and Wales.

New figures show local authority highways budgets grew last year and that 1.8 million potholes were filled.

Here in Staffordshire, the council has increased its highways budget by £10m and last year filled in a staggering 35,000 potholes.

Across the country it’s a similar story, with local authorities spending more on roads and fixing more defects.

• Potholes costing drivers and insurers ‘£1m a month’ in car repair bills

• ITV News goes on pothole road trip after it is revealed 24,000 miles of roads need repair

• Potholes leave one in five local roads in poor condition as councils face funding deficit

There are fears that still not enough is being done about the pothole plague.

Councils are being accused of “patch-up policy” whereby routes get a quick fix, while the underlying problems go unaddressed.

New figures today from The Asphalt Industry Alliance suggest that almost £10 billion would be needed to bring local roads up to speed.

It also reports that a typical local road will only be resurfaced once every 67 years.

Back in Staffordshire the council says the “Grand Canyon” will be fixed as soon as resources allow.

A spokesperson told us “ We do a great deal with the resources we have available, but we would welcome a long-term sustained funding programme from the Government.”

Anger here shows that despite the extra money being spent, local authorities can’t expect a smooth ride in future - and neither can motorists.