Citroën funds pothole repair as 1 in 20 UK roads found to be in need of urgent attention

Citroën has provided Gateshead Council with funding to fill potholes for one week following research by the brand which found that councils across the UK are facing up to three-year waits to repair all potholes in their area.

The research, obtained through a Freedom of Information request submitted by Citroën UK has shone a light on the ongoing troubles the UK’s roads face with pothole damage, with councils fighting a losing battle to keep their roads in suitable condition. Citroën’s Advanced Comfort® Programme is available across its car range, including new, all-electric ë-C3 Aircross. Advanced Comfort Suspension with progressive hydraulic cushions and Advanced Comfort seats mean that comfort onboard is maintained even over rough surfaces.

Citroën analysed data it received through its Freedom of Information requests to review the state of the UK’s roads nationwide, considering key details including how many reported potholes were awaiting repair, how many miles of road in local council jurisdictions were listed as red, amber, or green and how long councils estimate it would take to clear the entire backlog of potholes.

The research revealed that there were over 12,100 miles of ‘red’ road in the UK - roads requiring an investigation into whether immediate repairs are required.

The latest Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) Report found that there was a nationwide backlog for pothole repairs, indicating an approximate twelve-year backlog and £16.8billion* to resolve the backlog for the entire UK. Citroën’s research found that while the average time councils estimate it would take to repair all potholes in their jurisdiction varied, Shropshire Council were found to face the longest battle as motorists in the area will have to wait a minimum of three years for the pothole backlog to be resolved. Pembrokeshire Council and Clackmannanshire Council also face a significant challenge, requiring a full year to make up their pothole backlog.

Citroën also found that while the average time councils estimate it would take to repair all potholes in their jurisdiction varied, Shropshire Council for example had a backlog of up to three years. further highlighted the lengthy process of repairing potholes nationwide, indicating it would take up to twelve years and £16.8billion* to resolve the backlog for the entire UK.

To support councils looking to tackle their pothole problems, Citroën has teamed up with Gateshead Council to fill in damages in the road across the town pledging financial support to cover one week of pothole repairs – repairing 250m² of defective carriageway. Citroën’s collaboration with Gateshead Council comes after the council has committed to invest £7.7 million into their pothole repair programme over the next five years. Gateshead Council estimate that their new Pothole Pro will allow them to double the number of potholes they fill in compared to 2024 using traditional methods.

The ‘Pothole Pro’ is a 3 in 1 machine which cuts, crops and cleans, reducing the need for additional specialist equipment and manpower, filling in a pothole four times faster than traditional methods. Citroën’s donation along with the help of the ‘Pothole Pro’ are helping Gateshead Council reduce its backlog to tackle all road repairs in the area.  

Greg Taylor, Managing Director Citroën UK, said: “Our Freedom of Information request is just the latest research released that highlights the ongoing problems the UK’s roads are facing. More needs to be done to ensure the UK’s roads don’t deteriorate even further, and councils need more support to ensure they have facilities to provide their local residents with the suitable road infrastructure they require.”

“Citroën is committed to helping drivers feel confident and comfortable on the roads, and our Advanced Comfort Suspension, which comes as standard on the new, all-electric ë-C3 Aircross, is helping to achieve this, even with poor road conditions. We hope our work with Gateshead Council will go some way in helping drivers in the North East feel more comfortable on the road.”

Councillor Martin Gannon, Leader of Gateshead Council, said: “We know that the condition of our roads is one of the biggest issues for our residents. That’s why we’re investing in staff and equipment so we can repair more potholes more quickly and it’s fantastic that we can work with Citroen to support our work further. Each year we carry out more than 10,000 road repairs but we want to do more. Working with private sector partners, such as Citroën, is a fantastic opportunity to bring additional benefits to Gateshead so we thank them for their support. This is great news for residents, and I am proud we're delivering on the issue that matters to Gateshead people."    

In the 2025 Spring Statement, the government announced that councils must report their progress in fixing potholes or risk losing 25% of the additional £5million pothole funding granted in the 2024 November budget.

Citroën’s Advanced Comfort ® programme is designed to diminish the impact of potholes and uneven surfaces for drivers and passengers. Available across all Citroën cars including the new ë-C3 Aircross, Citroën Advanced Comfort ® seats combine two types of foam for optimum support. Citroën Advanced Comfort ® suspension uses dual progressive hydraulic bumps to better control compression and rebound on damaged surfaces.

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