Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to identify and speedily remedy potholes the depth of which is most likely to cause serious damage to vehicles on national highways.

For potholes on the English Strategic Road Network which are most likely to cause damage to vehicles, National Highways identifies defects via routine condition surveys, asset inspections, and reports from operational teams and stakeholders using the network. Identified defects are then assessed and categorised using a risk-based approach (assessing likelihood and consequence) to determine the appropriate speed of response.

Potholes most likely to cause serious damage to vehicles are classified into two categories: “Immediate/Go-Now”, requiring attention within two hours for the most severe defects; or “Safety Defect”, typically requiring action within 24 hours.

Alongside reactive repairs, National Highways takes a proactive approach to network renewals, such as resurfacing or reconstruction, to help maintain the resilience and safety of the network.