Flintshire: Revealing figures surrounding potholes on county's roads

Results of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Flintshire Council show that in 2021, the council received notification of 1,248 potholes on the carriageway, and 64 in the footway. 

In 2022, the council received reports of less than half of the number of potholes (544) from that of the previous year. There were 62 potholes on footways reported. 

The number of potholes reported by council inspectors on the roads in 2021 was 1,227, with 65 reported on the footway. In 2022, 526 potholes were reported by inspectors, as well as 58 on footways. 

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The number of potholes repaired on the roads Flintshire Council is responsible for in 2021 was 2,716, and 2,467 the following year. 

In 2021, the council also handed out over £26,000 to motorists who had damage to their car caused by potholes. 

But in 2022, the authority gave out £7,400 in pothole compensation.

The council was also asked for the minimum depth and width a reported pothole must be in order to be recorded as a pothole.

The council said its policy advises that a "risk-based approach" is taken to asset management, and this means that defects are categorised and measured subject to the risks they present.

However, inspectors are advised in the policy that intervention will be required on a highway where a defect will have a "significant impact" on network users with considerations towards the vulnerability of users, severity or size of defect, and location of defect in relation to impact on Network Users.

Flintshire Council said: "This is likely to be a defect that has a depth of more than 40mm (above or below the mean level of the carriageway), and on a footway a defect that will have a significant impact on network user with considerations towards the vulnerability of users, severity or size of defect, and location of defect it relation to impact on network users. This is likely to be a defect that has a depth of more than 25mm (above or below the mean level of the footway)."