# Heatwaves are making UK potholes worse

> Record summer heat has left Britain’s worn roads more brittle, setting up drivers for a rougher pothole season.
- Title: Heatwaves are making UK potholes worse · the Guardian
- Summary: Record summer heat has left Britain’s worn roads more brittle, setting up drivers for a rougher pothole season. Heat damages roads too, and without steady…
- Keywords: potholes, uk roads, rac, simon williams, road surface treatments association, mike hansford, asphalt, summer heatwaves, climate crisis, department for transport, road maintenance, local councils
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/sep/16/expect-more-potholes-uk-roads-summer-heatwaves-rac
- Author: Amee Joshi and agency
- Published: 2026-09-16T04:00:10+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: potholes, uk roads, rac, simon williams, road surface treatments association, mike hansford, asphalt, summer heatwaves, climate crisis, department for transport, road maintenance, local councils
## Heat hits roads too
The RAC says Britain should expect more potholes after its hottest summer on record. Long dry spells can weaken road surfaces before rain and traffic finish the damage.
## Asphalt turns brittle
Heat and UV light oxidise the bitumen that binds asphalt. Once the surface cracks, vehicles and later rainfall can turn those cracks into deep defects.

> Intense UV exposure and heat gradually oxidise the bitumen that binds asphalt together
## Winter left them weak
The road network was already in poor shape after a wet winter. Earlier this year, only half of roads in England and Wales were rated in good condition.
## Climate strain spreads
The heat has also shrunk soil around rail embankments, slowed services, raised concerns about rail buckling, and pushed up subsidence claims for insurers.
## Drivers are fed up
An RAC report found 51% of motorists call road condition their biggest driving worry. A striking 83% say they meet potholes on most car trips.
## Councils face pressure
England’s council highway budgets have risen to £1.6bn for 2025-26. Councils may lose up to a third of maintenance funding if they cannot show long-term pothole fixes.
## Key takeaway

Heat damages roads too, and without steady maintenance, hotter summers and wetter winters will keep turning small cracks into potholes.