Pothole breakdowns rise 15% as taxi drivers vent frustration over worsening road surfaces
- Perry Richardson
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Pothole-related vehicle breakdowns increased by 15% in 2025, according to new RAC Pothole Index figures, with taxi drivers among those raising concerns about the condition of local roads and the cost of repeated repairs.
RAC patrols attended 26,048 breakdowns last year where damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs or distorted wheels were identified as the cause. That equates to 71 incidents every day and represents an increase of 3,345 compared with the 22,703 recorded in 2024.
The final quarter of the year also saw a rise. Between October and December 2025, patrols dealt with 4,999 pothole-related breakdowns, 290 more than during the same period in 2024, a 6% increase. Both the annual total and the fourth-quarter figure exceeded the RAC’s long-term averages of 25,309 and 4,883 respectively.
For high-mileage professionals such as taxi and private hire drivers, the data reflects what many say they are experiencing daily on the roads.
RAC logs more than 26,000 suspension-related failures in 2025 as licensed drivers warn repair bills are mounting
Taxi driver Roland Gál, discussed the scale of the problem. “I’m not saying the potholes are bad, but yesterday I spotted an entire WWII battalion down there and in the next one, the space slug from Star Wars was basically waving at me,” he said.
Other drivers echoed the sentiment. Dimi Peppas described road surfaces as being “like the moon’s surface”, while Gibson Brennen criticised what he sees as inconsistent repairs, saying: “It’s mental they fill one and ignore the one 5 foot away then move on 2 blocks away.”
Christopher Welch estimated he spends around £500 per year as a result of pothole damage, a figure that aligns closely with wider industry cost projections. The RAC estimates repairs to a typical family car for pothole-related damage beyond a puncture can cost up to £590.
Some drivers suggested conditions have worsened further into 2026. Ishy Esat commented: “It’s one of the worst years 2026 for potholes.” Others simply labelled the situation “ridiculous”.
The figures come shortly after the Government introduced a new ‘traffic light’ ratings system designed to provide greater transparency over local road conditions and how councils are deploying maintenance funding. Under the latest assessment, 17% of councils in England are rated ‘green’ for road conditions, while 7% fall into the lowest ‘red’ category. The majority are classified as ‘amber’.
When measured against best practice in road maintenance, 14% of councils are rated ‘green’, 12% are ‘red’ and 74% are ‘amber’. Only Portsmouth, Rotherham and West Berkshire currently achieve ‘green’ status across all categories.
For licensed taxi and private hire drivers, who depend on vehicle reliability to maintain earnings, repeated suspension and wheel damage can lead not only to repair bills but also to downtime and lost income. With breakdown figures now above long-term averages, pressure is likely to increase on local authorities to demonstrate measurable improvements in road maintenance performance.
