Devon road repair bill nears £7m as pothole reports soar

More than £6.9m has been spent on road repairs across Devon so far this financial year, as the Devon County Council faces a surge in pothole reports.

New figures from Devon County Council reveal that 16,000 potholes across the county were logged in the first three weeks of January alone, a 74 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

The backlog of repairs has also grown. By late January 2026, there were 2,671 assessed potholes awaiting repair, up from 1,479 twelve months prior.

While the spending figures cover the entire county, motorists in Exeter say the city's network is struggling to cope.

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Local driver Adrian Parker described a defect near the University of Exeter as "two foot deep," claiming it forced drivers onto the wrong side of the road to avoid damage. Others have pointed to "shocking" conditions on Chancel Lane Bridge and multiple defects at the junction of York Road and Pennsylvania Road.

The council confirmed that £6,995,697 had been spent on "highway safety defects" up to 23 January. However, the authority does not provide a specific spending breakdown for Exeter or for temporary pothole repairs alone.

A spokesperson for Devon County Council said the total highways maintenance budget for 2025/26 stands at £31.1m.

In addition to surface repairs, the authority spent £3.7m on clearing gullies and drains last year. Blocked drainage is often cited as a primary cause of road surface deterioration during winter months.

Blocked drainage and standing water are often cited as primary causes of road surface deterioration, feeding the cycle of pothole formation. The council confirmed it does not hold a specific budget for the cleaning and upkeep of road signage.

All pothole repairs are currently commissioned through the council’s contractor, M Group. Data shows that between January 2025 and January 2026, 14 "remedial orders" were issued for repair failures where the contractor was required to fix the defect again at no additional cost to the council.

Motorists who spot significant potholes are being encouraged to report them via the Devon County Council website so they can be assessed and prioritised.