Almost 107,000 potholes were recorded in Northern Ireland in 2024, which was down by about 3,000 on the previously year but higher than the figure for 2022, new data shows.
The situation got particularly worse in the Ards & North Down council area, with a 22% year-on-year increase (up from 5,757 to 7,003), while in Belfast there was a 9% increase to 12,840.
The Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon area saw a decline of 8% in the number of potholes from the previous year with 11,923, although still the third highest area in Northern Ireland for potholes.
The highest number of potholes is in Newry, Mourne & Down, though the figure of 19,171 was actually down 4.50% on 2023, when the figure was 20,080.
Castlereagh and Lisburn had the least amount of potholes of any area for the year with 5,232, but that was still a 5% increase for that area from the previous year’s total of 4,998.
The UK is more susceptible to potholes because of its climate, with cold and wet weather meaning water can get into cracks in the road and then freeze, eventually leading to potholes.
And if your vehicle hits one, it can prove costly, with RAC research claiming a typical repair bill for pothole damage (beyond a simple puncture) is £460.
A survey of around 800 drivers conducted in the first week of January for car insurance experts at CompareNI found that nearly three quarters of drivers in Northern Ireland (70%) don’t believe the pothole issue is too big a problem for local government to fix, yet 85% insist the situation is getting worse.
Those surveyed were asked if they thought the problem was worse in rural areas – and 69% said it was.
With National Pothole Day approaching on January 15, government data reveals that there were 106,923 potholes in Northern Ireland in the period April 2023 to March 2024.
Dealing with the pothole problem is still a major issue. Of the 134,108 total road defects, 67,513 took five working days to be dealt with, 57,127 took three to four weeks, and 1,285 took six weeks.
When asked about the proposed solutions, 64% of those surveyed would like to see the government allocate more funds and staff to maintain the roads; 21% said an increase in compensation for those affected by the issue; 7% would like to see a media alertness campaign, 4% want a ministerial statement; and 3% would like more public meetings to discuss.
Ian Wilson, managing director of car insurance comparison website CompareNI.com, said: “Our survey revealed that 91% were not aware of National Pothole Day on January 15 – an important opportunity to raise awareness on this key issue.
“The pothole situation on our local roads network seems like a never-ending problem that’s frustrating for the majority of drivers across Northern Ireland. Not only are these potholes a nuisance, they could increase the risk of accidents plus serious and costly damage to vehicles and all road users.
“With worsening weather, it is hoped that government spending on road maintenance will increase and be a priority especially for these worst affected areas witnessing year on year increases in road defects.
“Pothole related damage is becoming more serious and more costly, meaning drivers are often losing their no claims bonus to claim for repairs – which can increase car insurance premiums for years to come.
“To help reduce costs, before applying to claim off the car insurance policy, drivers who experience damage from potholes can also contact the Department for Infrastructure and appeal for compensation if they have evidence the damage caused is related to a pothole.”
