Nottinghamshire revealed as worst place for potholes in the UK - tell us where the blackspots are

Taxi drivers, haulage companies and driving instructors have complained about the state of the county's roads after a Freedom of Information request revealed the extent of the problem.

Between January 2017 and June 2019, the county council received 253,920 reported potholes – 100,000 more than Devon, the second worst county. The figures account for individual potholes, not the number of people reporting them.

Councillor John Cottee, head of the county’s highways committee, said: "I am disappointed but we are where we are. If we are the worst we should have more government money so we can repair them properly.

"I put it down to underinvestment in the road system and when the roads were built.”

He added: "We don't know what is underneath them. They only last so long.

“We then had the Beast from the East. It gets into the roads and when it freezes it, the road crumbles and breaks.”

Nottinghamshire County Council also has one of the highest pothole spends of any local authority, laying out £12.2million on the problem over the last two years.

The county's highways network covers 2,744 miles, with the council figures showing it repaired 115,000 potholes in 2018 and more than 70,000 in 2019.

While central government has repeatedly pledged money for potholes, many councils have seen capital budges shrink to the point where more long-term road maintenance is not viable.

Rachel Wait, consumer affairs spokesperson at MoneySuperMarket, which conducted the study via a Freedom of Information request, said: “Potholes are a real menace and they increase in number during the winter period, as freezing temperatures can cause road surfaces to break.

“The repairs can soon add up, so it’s important that you have the correct level of insurance cover, especially if you live in a rural area where lesser-used roads might receive less maintenance.”

Tell us where the worst potholes in Hucknall are via [email protected].