The condition of UK roads has deteriorated to the point where it is no longer simply an inconvenience for drivers. For motorcyclists in particular, it has become a serious safety issue. In my home city, potholes appear to be increasing at an alarming rate, while road markings in many areas have faded so badly they are barely visible. For riders, these conditions are not just frustrating, they are genuinely dangerous.
What I see locally reflects a wider national problem. Poor road maintenance is placing motorcyclists, cyclists, learners and everyday road users at increasing risk, with little sign of long-term improvement.
Motorcyclists Are Hit Hardest by Defective Roads
Motorcyclists are disproportionately affected by poor road surfaces. Analysis of Department for Transport collision data by Go.Compare shows that around 35 per cent of all reported collisions where defective road surfaces were identified involved a motorcycle, despite bikes making up only a small proportion of road traffic.
Official UK figures for collisions caused by defective road surfaces in 2025 have not yet been fully released, but recent reporting suggests the problem persists. The Go.Compare study published in late 2025 highlighted continued risks from poor road conditions, particularly for motorcyclists. Reflecting on data from 2023, the study identified that 84 motorcycle collisions were linked to road defects. With provisional 2024 figures also showing an increase in motorcyclist fatalities overall.
For context, in 2023, 242 injury collisions were linked to defective road surfaces, with 84 involving motorcyclists. These included 33 serious injuries and one fatality, highlighting just how severe the consequences can be for riders when road surfaces fail.
A National Road Maintenance Backlog
This problem is not confined to individual towns or cities. The Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) Survey 2025, produced by the Asphalt Industry Alliance, reports that the backlog of repairs needed on local roads in England and Wales has reached £16.8 billion, the highest level ever recorded.
The same survey found that roads are now resurfaced, on average, only once every 93 years, far exceeding their intended lifespan. Most councils surveyed stated that road conditions had either worsened or failed to improve over the past year.
Potholes Are No Longer Isolated Defects
According to research published by the RAC, Glasgow City recorded 2,794 pothole claims last year, more than twice the length of its 1,203-mile road network. Four local authorities Derbyshire, Edinburgh, Bury Metropolitan and my local area of Staffordshire – each received the equivalent of one pothole claim for every mile of road they maintain. Meanwhile, Surrey, which topped the rankings for claims per mile in 2023, saw one pothole claim for every two miles of its 3,415-mile network, with 1,513 claims in total.
Alongside Potholes – surface damage is increasing and road markings are fading across the UK. Centre lines, lane markings and junction guides are essential for predictable and safe road use. The RAC and IAM RoadSmart have both raised concerns that worn markings increase uncertainty, especially at night or in wet conditions.
According to the RAC Report on Motoring – The condition and maintenance of local roads is the top concern amongst the drivers that was surveyed and that concern increased from 2024 -2025.
A False Economy With Real Consequences
Delaying proper road maintenance is a false economy. The ALARM Survey warns that relying on reactive repairs increases long-term costs while worsening safety outcomes. Vehicle damage claims, repeated repairs and emergency works all add up, while the human cost of serious injuries and fatalities cannot be measured in financial terms.
Long-term resurfacing and durable repairs would reduce hazards and ultimately cost less over time.
Why Poor Repairs Increase Risk for Riders
Short-term patch repairs have become a common response as councils grapple with constrained budgets, but these stop-gap solutions often deteriorate rapidly, leaving behind uneven road surfaces, loose debris and inconsistent grip.
For motorcyclists, poorly repaired sections of road can present additional dangers, as abrupt changes in surface height or texture can easily unsettle a bike, particularly during braking or cornering.
Take another look at the video above and imagine turning into that street on a motorcycle on a wet dark evening.
Unlike car drivers, who may primarily deal with a bill for repairs after hitting a pothole, the consequences for motorcyclists are far more severe – the same defect that damages a car wheel can cause a rider to lose control instantly, especially at speed or in poor weather.
Learning to Drive on Failing Roads
On a personal level, these problems have become even more concerning as I help my son learn to drive. Learning to drive is difficult enough without having to navigate broken road surfaces and barely visible lane markings. For someone just beginning to understand steering control, road positioning and hazard awareness, the current state of the roads makes learning unnecessarily stressful.
When markings are faded, learners struggle to judge correct positioning. When potholes force constant evasive action, smooth and predictable driving becomes almost impossible. Instead of learning best practice, new drivers are being taught to adapt to poor infrastructure, something even experienced drivers find challenging.
This does not produce safer drivers. It normalises unsafe conditions.
Time for Investment and Accountability
Safe, clearly marked roads are not a luxury. For motorcyclists, they are essential to survival. For learners, they shape driving habits for life. For communities, they underpin confidence in transport and safety.
In my city, and across the UK, the evidence is already visible on the road surface. Without meaningful, long-term investment in maintenance and clear accountability for standards, the risks to riders and other vulnerable road users will only continue to grow.
For motorcyclists, potholes are not just defects in the road. They are hazards that can, and do, cost lives.
Finally, you don’t have to take my word for it – here are just a few images of potholes and deteriorating roads in my local area. These were taken today and represent only a small fraction of the problems present.
KILN MOTO 
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