How big a pothole needs to be for Hampshire County Council to repair

Hampshire County Council has now revealed that for a pothole to be considered a priority for repairs it needs to be over 4cm in depth and 30cm in width.

The blight of potholes causes much frustration for residents, with some unlucky drivers even having to pay for new tyres after hitting a particularly nasty hole in the road.

Potholes can also become a serious and dangerous problem for cyclists and pedestrians who may have the misfortune of getting injured due to the uneven surfaces.

However, the authority has said that it will be ramping up its pothole repair work after a surge caused by winter weather.

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A Hampshire County Council spokesperson said: "Hampshire County Council assesses all potholes and road defects that are either identified through routine inspections or reported online. 

"Our approach prioritises the repair of defects that are deemed a safety risk, usually on roads that carry higher volumes of traffic and/or higher speeds.

"Defects on any type of road are also assessed based on size, with those measuring over 4cm in depth and 30cm in width being prioritised.

"In common with the rest of the country, we have seen a huge increase road defects due to the impact of winter weather, whilst the cost of repairs has also risen sharply in recent years.

"To help address this surge in demand, in July 2023 the County Council confirmed an additional £22.5 million specifically for reactive road repairs.

"This, together with extra funding we have received from Government, is helping us to address potholes more quickly and make our roads stronger and more resilient."

Potholes are usually the result of water seeping through cracks in the road surface - softening the earth underneath. 

With constant vehicles traveling over the the road, the tarmac ultimately collapses and a pothole forms.