Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 102872, what definition the Government uses for a pothole, including any criteria relating to minimum (a) size, (b) depth and (c) safety classification thresholds used for funding or repair estimates.

Local highway authorities are responsible for maintaining their roads under section 41 of the Highways Act 1980. Individual authorities set their own criteria, including the minimum size and depth at which a defect, or pothole, is recorded or repaired, and apply risk‑based assessments that account for local conditions, traffic volumes and safety considerations when making decisions on maintenance programmes. These thresholds therefore vary between areas and are not prescribed by the Department for Transport.