What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Why don't motorways get potholes?

Our weather is frequently blamed for causing many of the potholes we're currently subjected to. If that is the case, why do motorways not suffer similarly especially with the high volume of traffic?

Asked on 14 April 2023 by Pickygit

Answered by David Ross
If you haven't experienced a pothole on a motorway then count yourself lucky, but local roads suffer more from potholes because they are built to a lower standard than motorways. Urban roads aren't generally built to cope with high volumes of traffic and heavy goods vehicles, whereas motorways have to be able to handle 44 tonnes of HGVs day and night.

It's also worth mentioning that local roads are the responsibility of local councils, whereas motorways are looked after by Highways England, who likely have access to a bigger budget.
Similar questions
I have a quandry. I live 1 mile down a rutted farm track. I commute 250 (motorway) miles to work each week but the 10 miles at each end of the journey are on rough windy country lanes. I have long legs...
I would like to keep you updated on the matter of potholes through reports in local and national newspapers. There have been many accounts that local councils in some areas have been forced into temporary...
We are beginning to get rather pissed off in Thames Ditton on the potholes issue. It seems that the current contract for road maintenance contained no Service Level Agreement or provision for penalties...