Cornwall Council repairing hundreds of potholes a day amid surge in reports

Thursday, 5 February 2026 21:48

Cornwall Council says it has been receiving around 2,500 reports of potholes and other highway defects each week since the start of the year, as wet weather continues to take its toll on the Duchy's roads.

The authority told Radio Newquay it is currently repairing around 340 potholes a day, but persistent rainfall is hampering efforts, meaning some fixes have to be temporary. Radio Newquay contacted the council after listeners reported a noticeable increase in potholes, a rise in social media posts about the issue and a large number of defects being flagged via the traffic app Waze.

A council spokesperson said: “Since the start of the year we’ve received around 2,500 reports of highways defects each week. The caveat here is that these will include repeat reports, and this figure is also not solely related to potholes - these can be a number of highway issues including worn surfacing, issues with signage, overhanging trees and branches, broken manhole covers and damaged street furniture.”

They said highways crews across Cornwall have been responding to a wide range of issues following storms Goretti, Ingrid and Chandra, adding: “As well as making roads safe from fallen branches and trees, they are repairing over 340 potholes each day.” The spokesperson said the recent period of persistent heavy rainfall has led to a significant increase in potholes and road surface damage, describing the conditions as unlike anything previously experienced and placing major pressure on repair teams. Additional crews have been brought in, with staff moved from longer-term projects to help tackle the problem.

The council said it is responding as quickly as possible but urged road users to take care and continue reporting defects. It added that weather conditions are also affecting the durability of repairs, saying: “Continuous rainfall conditions and flooded road surfaces make it more of a challenge to undertake long lasting repairs. As a result, many of these repairs are temporary.”

The authority stressed that safety remains the priority and said more than 98% of the most critical defects are repaired within 48 hours, although some may be temporary. Reasons include prolonged heavy rain making permanent repairs difficult, defects being in busy locations where road closures would be required, or roads already being scheduled for resurfacing.

Separate data obtained and published in January, via a Freedom of Information request, by online car retailer Cinch, shows Cornwall Council repaired 118,650 potholes between 2022 and 2025, while 118,964 potholes were reported by the public during the same period. The figures place Cornwall among the top 15 UK authorities carrying out the most pothole repairs over that timeframe, as part of a wider national study involving 207 local authorities.

Ben Welham, motoring editor at Cinch, said: “Our research suggests that drivers are feeling increasingly frustrated by the condition of our roads. Roads are breaking down faster than they can be repaired, and it’s affecting everyday journeys. Longer-term investment will be key to making driving smoother and safer for everyone.”