The areas in England with the worst road conditions have been revealed, as drivers increasingly complain about potholes and Britain’s poor infrastructure.
According to official data from the Department for Transport, Derbyshire holds the record for the worst road conditions of any council.
It comes as the cost of bringing pothole-plagued local roads in England and Wales up to scratch has been estimated to be a record £18.6 billion.
Several London councils appear in the top 10 list with Derbyshire, followed by Richmond upon Thames, Wandsworth and Merton.
Also featured is Waltham Forest, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Sutton and Bromley.
Bath and north-east Somerset is set in 10th place, while other councils outside of the capital to perform badly include Cambridgeshire, Southend-on-Sea and Bristol.
The government recently published a ‘traffic light system’ which graded 154 local highway authorities on the conditions of their roads, using a red, amber or green metric.
Each was given a score on the state of their A, B, C and U roads, with 20 being the lowest possible score with 100 being the maximum.
Portsmouth ranked the best for road conditions with every score above 85, with the Isles of Scilly, the Isle of Wight, Wokingham and Gloucestershire also performing well.
The Department for Transport issued new reporting requirements for English councils earlier this week which require authorities to prove they are doing more to fix potholes and future-proof roads.
This is aimed at encouraging full resurfacing of roads rather than short-term fixes.
Local authorities risk losing up to a third of their funding for roads maintenance if they fail to demonstrate they are working effectively.
Roads minister Simon Lightwood said: “For too long motorists have been left incensed by short-term work being prioritised over genuine long-term repairs. Thanks to our new guidance, that changes today.”
Tackling potholes must not be a “periphery issue” as “our country without roads is nothing”, a motoring expert has warned.
AA president Edmund King said drivers “feel short-changed” as they are paying tens of billions of pounds a year into the Treasury, but too many roads suffer from unfilled or badly repaired potholes.
Revenue from fuel duty alone was worth £24.3 billion in the year to the end of March. Among other taxes paid by drivers are VAT on fuel, vehicle excise duty and insurance premium tax.
Mr King said drivers were paying the price for a failed “patch and run” approach, where potholes are badly filled and return within weeks.
He went on: “It is the number one transport issue for 96 per cent of drivers. At the AA we see it first-hand.
“Last year our patrols were called out to 617,000 pothole-related incidents – punctures, damaged wheels, steering and suspension damage.
“For drivers, it is the worst feeling: dark nights, wet roads, puddles, you can’t see the pothole, and then you hear the bang.”
New figures from insurer Aviva show a quarter of claims for pothole damage result in vehicles being written off.
This happens when the estimated cost of repairs exceeds the value of the vehicle, or it is not possible for the vehicle to be returned to a safe condition.
Pothole claims – including repairs and write-offs – are worth £3,863 on average, according to Aviva.
An LGA Spokesperson said: “Different councils face very different circumstances, from the condition of and the volume of traffic on their roads, to terrain to weather conditions, so it is right that local authorities take an approach that is suited to their needs.
“This is why many councils take a risk-based approach to how they assess potholes, their severity and what needs addressing in what order.
“Councils face a £18 billion backlog of road repairs. Only sufficient funding with longer-term certainty will help councils more effectively plan for future maintenance schemes, focusing more on preventative measures – which will ultimately save the taxpayer money and reduce the need for repairs – and able to invest in innovation.”
The Department for Transport have been contacted for comment.