Norfolk roads pothole fears as RAC issues weather warning

The RAC warned the weather has created “the perfect recipe" for roads to crumble and for potholes to form.

And bosses at Norfolk County Council have said the money they get from the government for road maintenance has not kept pace with inflation - so it will have to rely on cheaper solutions to maintain roads.

The issue was raised at a meeting of the Conservative-controlled council's cabinet, where Liberal Democrat Tim Adams, who represents Cromer, asked whether there was enough money to keep roads maintained.

Liberal Democrat county councillor Tim Adams (Image: Supplied by the Liberal Democrats)

Mr Adams said: "Rising costs and inflationary pressures are clearly placing extra pressures on Norfolk County Council’s budgetary position.

"Is it inevitable that we will see cutbacks in road maintenance across Norfolk as a result of this situation?"

Graham Plant, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport (Image: Newsquest)

Graham Plant, the cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport, said the council was awaiting confirmation from the Department for Transport about the highway maintenance allocations.

But he warned: "The autumn statement in 2022 indicated a ‘flat’ settlement in 2022/23, 23/24 and 24/25 with no allowance for inflation.

"Inflation in the construction sector has been significantly higher than the general indices at around 30pc so far this financial year. This effectively reduces our buying power.

"As a result, we will continue with our proactive asset management approach and maintenance programme, but this is likely to involve more cost-effective treatments. Safety for all highway users will be prioritised."

Cheaper methods the council could have to rely on include 'surface dressing', where bitumen is sprayed on to a road surface and chips are then rolled in. That is a preventative measure to stop roads deteriorating by sealing the road surface.

While the council says potholes are filled in before surface dressing happens, surface dressing is not as effective as completely rebuilding a road surface.

The RAC said pothole-related breakdowns are on the rise. The motoring organisation said water which has entered cracks expands when frozen, causing road surfaces to crumble.

The RAC has warned potholes could pepper the country's roads (Image: PA)

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: "The wet weather we’ve had both before and after the coldest start to winter in 12 years in December is the perfect recipe for potholes to start peppering the roads.

"There are too many occasions where potholes have been poorly patched up by cash-strapped councils which then return all too quickly."

A Department for Transport spokesperson said £5bn was being invested into local highway maintenance.

They said: "This will fill millions of potholes a year, repair dozens of bridges and resurface roads up and down the country."