Recent weeks of cold weather and record levels of rainfall have created ideal conditions for potholes to form. Water enters small cracks in the road surface, freezes, expands and gradually forces the surface apart

Highway crews are currently working across Herefordshire, prioritising repairs to those potholes that present the biggest risk to road users.

This includes a major resurfacing project for Stonebow Road in Hereford this week, which saw crews work through the night to ensure the work to this important route to Hereford County Hospital was completed with minimum disruption.

The Council reports that since the beginning of January, more than 3,000 road defects have been repaired, with the daily rate of up to 150 repairs expected to continue as teams work across the network.

In previous years, the number of road repairs has typically increased between January and March, but this year the scale and speed of damage caused by prolonged wet and cold weather has been exceptional, leading to a significant increase in defects across the network.

Herefordshire Council is responsible for maintaining more than 2,000 miles of road and operates a nationally recognised inspection regime to identify defects and prioritise repairs.

As well as fixing potholes, the Council is investing in longer-term work to improve the roads and reduce future damage. This includes repairing larger worn-out sections of road, planning new surface treatments and improving drainage to prevent water damage.

During the current financial year, the Council has completed 47 miles of road resurfacing and 62 miles of preventative surface dressing. This work is continuing, and the resurfacing programme for the year ahead is already in development.

The Council has increased investment in road maintenance. In 2025/26, an additional £13.5m has been committed to road resurfacing, patching and preventative treatments across the county.

The Council will soon announce its latest road resurfacing and surface dressing programme, setting out a major package of proactive works designed to strengthen the road network and reduce the number of potholes forming in the first place.

Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Roads and Regulatory Services, Cllr Barry Durkin, said:

“Over recent weeks many people have raised concerns about the growing number of potholes across Herefordshire. We want people to know that we hear these concerns and we are taking action.

“The recent weather has created the perfect conditions for potholes to form, but our crews are working hard to complete as many repairs as possible. The Council recognises how important safe and reliable roads are for residents, businesses and communities, and remains committed to improving the network — not just reacting to damage but building a better road system for the future.”

Cllr Durkin added:

“We would like to thank all our residents for their patience while our crews continue the repair work, and we would encourage people to report potholes using our Report It app. This is the most effective way for us to gather information and plan inspections and repairs.”

Residents and road users should let the Council know about potholes through the Report It app. This allows the Highways Team to make a log of the pothole and make plans to inspect it and add it to the list.

Residents should report new potholes or any changes to existing potholes – for example if they get worse.