(Image: Staff)
POTHOLES have reached a three-year high in North Yorkshire - something which has raised fresh concerns about road safety and council spending.
In North Yorkshire, 18,181 serious highway defects were reported between the 2023 and 2026 financial years, according to an Freedom of Information act obtained by Accident Claims Advice.
However, North Yorkshire Council say that they are keeping roads 'safe and in the best possible condition' and attributed the rise in potholes to severe weather conditions.
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The figures show 6,500 reported defects in 2023/24, a fall to 5,023 the following year, and then a sharp rise to 6,658 in 2025/26.
In response to the rising number of defects, North Yorkshire Council spent £146.8 million on highway repairs over the three-year period - with £20.5 million of this going towards temporary repairs.
Spending started at £46.5 million in 2023, rose to £46.9 million the following year, and again to £53.3 million in 2025.
Compensation claims from damaged vehicles have also taken a toll; since 2023, North Yorkshire Council has paid out £146,188 in successful claims and the highest annual payout was nearly £88,000 for 326 claims in the first year.
The figure dropped to £48,000 for 310 claims the following year, then to under £10,000 for 254 claims in 2025/26.
Tracy Chick, road and traffic accident manager at JF Law, said: "Every year, motorists and cyclists are forced to navigate dangerously degraded roads, and the mounting injury claims and repair bills point to a clear failure in local highway maintenance.
"What starts as a seemingly minor lack of road upkeep frequently escalates into severe financial hardship for drivers or, tragically, devastating accidents.
"We regularly speak to people whose lives have been upended by a single overlooked pothole that resulted in critical physical injuries or written-off vehicles.
"The burden of fixing these mistakes is falling on the shoulders of the public, and that simply isn't right."
Barrie Mason, assistant director for highways and infrastructure at North Yorkshire Council, acknowledged the challenges - adding that they are prioritising repairs.
He said: “ Maintaining North Yorkshire's extensive roads network is a significant challenge, particularly at a time of ongoing financial pressures, but we remain committed to keeping routes safe and in the best possible condition, ensuring taxpayers receive value for money.
“We prioritise repairs through our programme of highway safety inspections and in response to reports from residents, focusing on issues that pose the greatest risk to road users.
“The increase in pothole numbers in 2025/26 compared with the previous year is largely due to the severe weather experienced between January and April 2026.
"Periods of very cold temperatures and snow were followed by prolonged wet weather, creating conditions that accelerated wear and damage across the roads network.”