Speed of pothole repair in Leeds dramatically increases following challenging climatic start to the year

The rate at which potholes were repaired went from 382 repairs in the first full week of January to a peak of 1,101 repairs in the first week of March, almost tripling the speed of repair.

Ten full-time pothole teams have been working extended hours to produce the significant increase in repairs, with 5224 potholes across the city filled so far in 2026.

The increase in repair speed comes after more resources were made available and due to trials of three new pothole-filling technologies, which have been taking place over the past year, continuing into January and February.

The council’s existing pothole repair strategy, supported by recent trials of new repair technologies, has seen an increase in the proportion of long‑lasting permanent pothole repairs compared to short‑term temporary repairs; a push to improve the condition of road sections to reduce further pothole reports, and the continuation of preventative work programmes such as pre‑patching for micro asphalt and surface dressing.

The figures come after the persistent rainfall in January and February left ground conditions heavily saturated and road surfaces far more vulnerable to sudden deterioration. 

To ease the increased workload and provide a more dynamic response, the council has been making better use of existing data systems and data monitoring processes to track rainfall, river levels, pothole reports, backlog volumes, and repair throughput.

This approach was further backed by councillors in this year’s Leeds City Council Budget when they committed £13 million of council funding and an additional £1 million in capital investment to pothole repairs.

The extra investment for 2026/2027 will be used to accelerate the backlog of pothole repairs following the recent surge in reports; to secure and prioritise key strategic routes, and to resolve surface issues in complex locations.

Moving into the next financial year, the council will also consider how to best utilise the innovative pothole repair technologies such as Jet Patching, the JCB Pothole Pro, and the Thermal Road Repair systems, which have already undergone testing in Leeds. In addition, a new climatic response framework will be implemented due to the increasing incidences of climate-related pothole reporting, following reporting surges in two of the past three years.   

Nationally, Leeds City Council’s highways team was recently recognised through securing a green rating in the Department for Transport’s most recent Local Road Maintenance Review, one of only 16 authorities to do so and one of only two in Yorkshire. The award of a green rating reflects the council’s strong governance, investment, and adherence to best practice in its highway maintenance activities.

Above: Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, Councillor Jonathan Pryor with the Thermal Road Repair system. (Credit: Leeds City Council)

Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, Councillor Jonathan Pryor, said: “The highways team's response to the climatic challenges faced in the first months of the year has been outstanding, and we can be proud of the work they have done to keep the city moving safely.  

“Moving forward, we have increased investment into our roads, and a robust strategy and processes are in place to not only meet future surges in demand, but also effectively tackle the backlog of pothole reports across the city. 

“Key to these changes is the extra funding agreed by the council. This will not only provide security for major routes but also tackle some of the more complex repairs in hard-to-access areas and bring down the backlog of reported potholes. Adding some of the impressive new technologies into the mix of pothole repair methods we employ will also allow us to make more permanent repairs more quickly.

“While the work is not yet all done, these new figures prove we have an effective pothole strategy that is a strong basis to build on for the future.”

Ends