To be shocked at the state of roads

[BenefitWaffle]

In the last year especially so many roads seem to be in a terrible state. I now drive main roads whilst keeping an eye out for pot holes. And some pot holes are so deep. It is like driving in a developing country. Only the motorways seem okay still.
Is it this bad where you live?

I also commented to DH the other day about the lack of white lines on the roads at junctions and those painted on mini roundabouts that have completely worn off. It's OK if you're a local and know what road markings/priorities are, but heaven help anyone who is a stranger to the area

I've noticed this. It's so dangerous if you're driving in a place you don't know well, or you're at a big roundabout where lane positioning is so important.

YANBU. Years of Tory cuts will be to blame for that.

They're awful round here, s couple of roads have been touted as possible swimming pools if we have a hot summer

I wish the entire HS2 budget was devoted to road repairs (50%) and better train connections outside SE England (50%)

Terrible in hampshire. Our local fb page has constant pot hole photos and warnings after tyre blow outs and wheel damage yet Hants County Council have announced they are cutting their highways budget this coming year presumably because they are on the verge of bankruptcy.
I think someone will be killed eventually before any real notice is taken of the problem.
What is making local residents even more furious is that whilst our roads are so dangerous the council is instead currently spending £3 million on a bus lane scheme on our bypass which absolutely nobody wanted and those who attended the so called “consultation” voted against but clearly HCC think they know best.

Potholes have meant 2 new tyres in 3 months for me which is a first in 30 years of driving. One of them was on a motorway too so impossible to stop and take a picture to report it. I'll be glad of lighter evenings coming so hopefully I've more chance to avoid them safely. Conditions are definitely worst I've seen due to previously mentioned funding challenges across highway authorities.

It's such short-term thinking. The government are always concerned about lack of productivity but don't seem to realise investing in infrastructure is a fundamental part of productivity. They just want to blame "lazy workers" instead.

Totally agree, I work in a council and closely with the roads team - they are pulling their hair out at what needs to be done and the amount of money we have to do it, and to be fair our council hasn't cut the budget but held it at the same amount for the last 5 or 6 years - so we get a loss for our ££ now than we did back then. Every day we get complaints from residents and councillors and all we can do is assure everyone we really do our best to make the money go as far as it can to fix the worst problem. But it'll be pothole fixing and patching rather than full surface treatments as it helps the money go further. We've had a fair bit of ice and snow this year as well and that just makes it worse. Welcome to what your Council services will look like as the fresh wave of cuts bite.

Bassetts Pole used to be like this. One of those huge multi lane roundabouts where all the road markings have worn off. A total lottery as to which lane you should be in, with people drifting around trying to make the exit.

The fixed the lines by painting new ones, but I came through it recently and they had implemented some new roadworks that made it a complete mess.

I know people who refuse to drive round it.

Our car needs repair now due to local potholes.

The roads are in a desperate state. I remember tarmacers being a frequent site growing up and the smell of tarmac from days gone by. You don't see them anymore, pot holes just get badly filled in (if at all). You notice a difference driving back from France and onto UK roads, it's so smooth driving there, back here the radio has to be turned up because the roads surfaces are horrendous and so effing noisy. The pot hole situation now is a downright disgrace, even on dual carriage ways. It's a huge embarrassment and the roads in developing countries are likely in a much better state tbh.

Please be considerate of developing countries and do not make the comparison.

Tory cuts are part of the problem, the other is the number of SUVs and large vehicles on the road.