For motorists across Southampton, unrepaired potholes can be the cause of extreme road rage and flat tyres.

So, just how large – or small – does a pothole need to be for Southampton City Council to repair the section of worn away road?

The council states that a pothole with a depth of more than 7.5cm on the road will have a timescale of 24-hours to be repaired.

A pothole depth between 4cm and 7.5cm – which is approximately the size of a tennis ball – will be repaired within six months, whilst anything less than 4cm – the size of a golf ball – will be monitored but not automatically repaired.

This comes after the Echo revealed that for Hampshire County Council a pothole has to be over 4cm in depth and 30cm in width to be considered a priority.

“Our staff will need to visit the site to make an assessment, which we aim to complete within two weeks,” a spokesperson for Southampton City Council said.

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They added: “If we find the defect is an emergency, we will make a temporary repair within 24 hours to make it safe, followed by a permanent repair, if required, at a later date.”

They added: “The majority of reported potholes fall into the non-urgent category and will be programmed for repair within six months, although we will try, if possible, to repair within two months.

“We also carry out regular inspections that monitor road condition, which takes into account the use, condition and level of deterioration of a road.”

The timescale in which the council repairs the city’s potholes can vary depending on the location of the pothole, depth of the pothole, and its risk to pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.

Southampton City Council has a budget of £830,000 dedicated to pothole repair crews in Southampton.