The two worst pothole-strewn roads in Britain are both claimed to be in northern England – the B6343 near Morpeth in Northumberland and Fieldhead Lane, near Holme, Kirklees on the West Yorkshire/Derbyshire border.

The two stretches were highlighted by motorists in an investigation by Warranty Direct’s potholes campaign website to expose the appalling state of our roads.

And although the Government recently injected £100m into an emergency pothole road maintenance fund, two harsh winters and long-term under-funding means potholes remain one of the biggest gripes among motorists.

Northumberland’s B6343 was described as having “a huge array of potholes east of Mitford”,

Fieldhead Lane in West Yorkshire was summed up as “more like an off-road assault course” with one half mile section of this road causing a growing list of car damage: lower suspension arm, three lots of tracking, anti-roll bar tie rods, track rod end, anti-roll bar bushes and a wheel bearing.

More than 80 sections of Britain’s 246,000-mile highway network were nominated for the ignominious title and the other three stretches in the top five roads of shame were
- Long Mill Lane in Plaxtol, Kent
- Yattendon Road near Pangbourne, West Berkshire
- Fyfield Road in Amport, Hampshire.

With an average repair cost of £335 for damage done by Britain’s crumbling roads, the estimate is that drivers could be forking out nearly £3million every day – or £1 billion a year.