Number of potholes reported in Kent almost doubles in year

• Report by ITV News Meridian's Abigail Bracken

The number of potholes reported in Kent has almost doubled in a year, with the council pledging to spend £50m on repairs to try and fix the problem.

Potholes are an increasingly common sight on the county's roads and they can cause damage to cars, especially the tyres and wheels.

Currently, pothole levels in Kent are at a nine-year high.

Kent County Council (KCC) figures show that between October and December 2023, there were 5,510 potholes reported.

This is almost twice the number compared to the same period in 2022, when there were 3,073 reported potholes.

One resident said: "Wherever you go locally, it can cost a person a lot of money just to get the wheel fixed. They're absolutely disgusting in some areas."

Another added: "The potholes are quite lethal in places especially if you ride motorbikes, they can really knock the bike offline and be quite dangerous."

KCC said it is spending £50m on repairs using extra money from the government.

Cllr Neil Baker, Cabinet Member, Highways and Transport, said: "Roads are not what I would want them to be.

"We are at that time of year with the gritters out, with the freezing temperatures, where we're always at our worst.

"Things will get better as the year progresses and the conditions get better but I know that motorists, myself being one of them, are experiencing a pretty bad time at the moment."

He added: "We're doing what we can within our resources. Will there ever be enough money? Perhaps not. At the moment, we're looking at needing about £700m if we want to bring roads up to standard, so it's still quite a gap. But we will ensure that our roads are safe, so that we can keep Kent moving."

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