Why Mr Pothole is Launching New Website After 10 Years

After a decade without a website, Mr Pothole is back online.

The reason is simple. After more than 13 years of campaigning, research and studying every aspect of Britain's pothole crisis and highway maintenance history, he believes it is time to publish the truth about what many road users now describe as a "Pothole Armageddon" on UK roads.

For too long, official statements, carefully managed statistics and political spin have attempted to reassure the public that the situation is improving. Yet millions of motorists, cyclists, motorcyclists and bus passengers can see the reality for themselves every day.

The Great British public no longer needs convincing that there is a problem. They are living with it.

In many ways, the situation resembles The Emperor's New Clothes in reverse. Instead of a problem that nobody dares to acknowledge, Britain's failing roads are visible to everyone. The public can see them, experience them and report them. Yet too often the message appears not to be reaching those with the power to solve it.

What the New Website Will Provide

The new website has been created to:

- Publish the truth about the condition of Britain's roads and bridges.

- Challenge misinformation and political spin.

- Expose the true scale of the UK's pothole crisis.

- Share evidence gathered through more than 13 years of campaigning and research.

- Highlight the growing maintenance backlog facing local authorities.

- Hold decision-makers accountable for transport spending priorities.

- Campaign for long-term investment in the UK's highway infrastructure.

- Give road users a stronger voice in the debate about road maintenance.

Helping the Public Take Action

The website will also provide practical help for members of the public who are tired of waiting for action.

This includes:

- Guidance on the legal duties of Highway Authorities.

- Information about road users' rights.

- Step-by-step guidance on using Section 56 of the Highways Act.

- Template notices and documents that can be adapted for local use.

- Advice on gathering evidence and documenting road defects.

- Information on how to challenge authorities when roads are allowed to fall into a state of disrepair.

Section 56 of the Highways Act is one of the most powerful but least understood legal tools available to road users. It allows members of the public to challenge a Highway Authority when a road can be shown to be "out of repair" and, where appropriate, seek a court order requiring repairs to be carried out.

It's the start of a journey to create a well informed Public Pothole Army...