For North Staffordshire motorists every day is 'pothole day'. However today - January 15 - marks the official national Pothole Day where the focus falls on the nation's crater-riddled roads.
And today community leaders from across North Staffordshire have been having their say on conditions in their respective wards. To mark the day the AA has revealed how it received 613,638 pothole-related calls last year.
While that marked a five per cent decrease from 2024 it still represented a daily average of 1,681. Meanwhile comparison site Go.Compare submitted a Freedom of Information request to 171 councils about their pothole repair times - revealing those who are lagging behind.
It revealed it was Staffordshire County Council which was the slowest authority with it taking an average of 209.6 days to fix a pothole between 2022 and 2024. And Stoke-on-Trent City Council came in third on 71.
Sat inbetween in second was Coventry City Council on 82.3.
We will bring all the reaction to North Staffordshire's pothole problems in our live blog below.
14:59 - Sneyd Green pothole
This is the crater on Abbotts Drive that locals are keen to see fixed.
12:32 - Stoke-on-Trent road 'looks like surface of the moon'
Motorists have claimed Chell Heath Road looks like 'the surface of the moon'. They say a particularly bad spot is around the Ford Green Road junction.
12:21 - Councils face £17 billion backlog
A spokesperson for the Local Government Association said today: "Councils take their responsibilities to maintain and upkeep roads seriously, but the truth is that ever-increasing pressure on budgets has impacted their ability to do so as much as they’d like.
“Local authorities work hard to fix potholes swiftly to prevent people’s journeys from being impeded. However, the road asset is huge and the number of vehicles using it – and causing wear and tear – is increasing, and many factors affect repair rates, such as changing weather and the type of road.
“Councils face a £17 billion backlog of road repairs. Only longer-term funding 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.”
12:20Dave Knapper
'Duck ratings' for potholes in Great Chell and Packmoor
12:17Dave Knapper
Latest from Meir South and Lightwood
12:16Dave Knapper
Potholes in Lightwood
12:15Dave Knapper
Long waits across Baddeley Green, Milton and Norton
12:14Dave Knapper
View from Meir Park
12:13Dave Knapper
Update on potholes around Weston Coyney and Adderley Green
12:09 - Calls for five-year guarantee
Pothole repairs should come with a five-year guarantee to prevent “short‑term patches”, a campaign group said.
The Pothole Partnership called for highway contractors to offer the warranty on every non-emergency pothole they fill.
The AA, a member of the campaign group, said this would be “a game‑changer” for the quality of road surfaces.
12:08 - Average pothole repair bill is £350
The AA said the average repair bill resulting from a pothole incident was £350 last year. It calculated this means the total cost for all UK drivers hitting potholes in 2025 could have been £645 million, an increase of £66 million from 2024 estimates.
AA president Edmund King said: “A five‑year warranty on every non‑emergency pothole repair would be a game‑changer. It shifts the focus from short‑term patches to long‑lasting repairs and ensures accountability from those carrying out the work.
“Drivers, cyclists and motorcyclists deserve roads that stay fixed – not ones that crumble again within weeks. The damage costs drivers hundreds of thousands of pounds and can cost those on two wheels their lives.”
12:04 - County council: 'We need proper funding'
StokeonTrentLive has approached Staffordshire County Council this morning over the time for repairs. Leaders say they prioritise potholes on the severity - and have repeated calls for more Government cash.
Peter Mason, the county council's cabinet member for strategic highways said: “We have one of the largest highways networks in the UK covering nearly 4,000 miles. Our potholes are prioritised according to their severity, and those that are deemed the worst are repaired on time within 24 hours.
“We are aware that there is a backlog of other, less serious potholes that need addressing—these are the ones that are annoying to drive round and frustrate our residents on a daily basis. This is why this week we have announced an extra £15 million over the next two years to reduce this backlog of less-urgent potholes and make our highways better for residents. A key element of this is being more efficient and effective with the money we have to make sure we can repair more of our roads.
“Of course, we can only go so far. We are clear that we need proper funding from Government for our highways. This is the only way we can improve their condition and really make a difference to Staffordshire people.”