Potholes across Wales are drawing growing criticism from residents and motorists, with some warning that deteriorating road conditions are becoming increasingly dangerous for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike.
Concerns intensified after a 41-year-old woman was hospitalised following a fall caused by a pothole that she described as “dangerous”. Sharon Williams, from Llanelli, said she suffered facial injuries after tripping on a pothole while walking home in December. The incident has left her worried about the safety of other road users.
Williams said the accident occurred on 31 December near her mother’s home in Rhandirmwyn when she failed to spot the hole in the road during the dark. “I was walking back to my mother’s and I didn’t see the pothole. I fell forward and hit my head on the road,” she told BBC Radio Wales.
Williams explained she knew the road well but poor lighting and road conditions made it difficult to avoid the hazard. She suffered a black eye and grazes to her face following the fall. Neighbours later took her to Glangwili Hospital where doctors conducted medical tests including a CT scan and ECG.
Fortunately, the results showed no serious internal injuries. Despite recovering from the incident, Williams said she remains deeply concerned about the growing number of potholes across local roads.
“They are dangerous and I have come across so many holes in the road,” she said. “I’ve always been aware of potholes, but I don’t know how the government say they have spent so much money because I don’t see much difference.”
Williams also criticised what she described as “patchwork repairs” carried out by local councils, claiming that potholes frequently reappear shortly after being fixed.
“There are potholes all across the roads — you can’t escape them,” she said. “Everyone is in danger. It’s pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. God help it if a child gets hurt.”
Her concerns are shared by many motorists across Wales who say the condition of roads has worsened in recent years. Julian Morgan, a 40-year-old driver from Llandough in the Vale of Glamorgan, said road damage has become increasingly difficult to avoid.
“The deepness of the road damage is now far more noticeable than it used to be years ago,” he said. Morgan said his biggest concern is driving with his four-year-old son in the car.
“I’m usually a confident driver, but having my son in the car is a real worry,” he said. “We’re not just talking about potholes. In some areas the road surface is literally crumbling.”
He said repeated temporary repairs often fail to solve the underlying problem. “You can go back to the same area and see the same holes being repaired again and again,” he added.
For some motorists, the consequences of hitting potholes have resulted in costly vehicle repairs. Sion Dafydd, a graphic designer from Cardiff, said he suffered significant damage to his car earlier this year after hitting a pothole while attempting to avoid another.
“I was driving to a family meal and avoided a big pothole on the left side of the road but ended up hitting another on the opposite side,” he said. The impact caused severe tyre damage, leaving Dafydd without his vehicle for more than a week.
His repair bill reached £200. “Cost of living is already difficult and these kinds of expenses make it worse,” he said. “My brother-in-law drove on the same road an hour later and blew his tyre on the same pothole.”
Local businesses are also feeling the effects of deteriorating roads. Hannah Jones, owner of DJ Tyres in Caerphilly, said potholes and road debris are bringing more customers to her garage. “The amount of potholes on the roads means drivers are bound to hit them,” she said.
“Sometimes you don’t see them until the last second.” She added that modern vehicles are often larger, making it harder for drivers to swerve around hazards safely.
According to Welsh government statistics, 11,250 potholes were repaired across Wales between April 2025 and January 2026. Authorities also reported that resurfacing nearly 400 miles of road prevented more than 185,000 potholes from forming.
The highest number of pothole repairs was recorded in Ceredigion, where 1,668 holes were fixed during the period. Carmarthenshire followed closely with 1,592 repairs. Transport officials acknowledge the scale of the challenge.
Ken Skates, the Welsh government’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, said improving road conditions remains a key priority. He noted that councils had received an additional £120 million over the past two years to support road maintenance. However, frustration among motorists remains high.
Recent data shows nearly half of Welsh councils reject the majority of compensation claims submitted by drivers seeking reimbursement for pothole damage. Local councils insist they are continuing to invest heavily in road repairs despite difficult winter conditions.
Cardiff Council said harsh weather and construction work by external contractors had weakened some road surfaces, potentially contributing to the increase in potholes. Officials also confirmed that an additional £10 million has been allocated to resurface roads across the city over the next two years.
Experts say potholes often form when water seeps into cracks in the road surface. As temperatures drop, the water freezes and expands, weakening the asphalt. Repeated traffic pressure can then cause the damaged surface to break apart, eventually forming potholes.
Motoring organisations warn that recent heavy rainfall across the region has accelerated the process, leading to a sudden increase in hidden potholes. For residents like Williams, the solution cannot come soon enough. “I just hope something is done before someone else gets seriously hurt,” she said.
