Potholes

Information about potholes, including how we inspect, monitor and repair them in Suffolk.

It is not possible to repair every pothole or defect at the same time, so repairs must be prioritised using a risk-based approach.

The busier a road or footway is in terms of traffic, the greater the chance that a defect could cause a problem. Suffolk Highways therefore gives greater priority to repairing roads that carry the most vehicles.

Regular safety inspections are carried out, with the frequency depending on how busy the road is. However, potholes and other defects may still appear between inspections, especially after freezing conditions when water in the road surface freezes and expands, causing cracks.

Not all potholes or defects will be repaired. Repairs are only carried out when a defect meets specific criteria for size, location and severity. These criteria are set out in the Highways Maintenance Operational Plan (HMOP), which uses a risk assessment approach based on road category and potential impact. The HMOP includes matrices that define the minimum sizes of defects and the maximum time allowed for repairs once those thresholds are met.

Details on how to report a pothole and information on our repair criteria for highway defects can be found below.


Contact us

You can report problems easily using our Highways Reporting Tool

Find out how to contact us by live chat or phone on our contact page.