Foreign lorries and tourist traffic cause greater pothole peril in Kent than other parts of the country, the county’s highways chief has claimed.

Cllr Neil Baker (Con) says high vehicle volumes generated by cross-Channel travel and decades of “significant under-funding” have resulted in headaches for drivers.

His remarks come as respected driving organisation, the AA, reported a sharp increase in the number of breakdowns caused directly by potholes.

Drivers suffer punctures, damaged wheels, steering and suspension problems often as a result of fissures being hidden by puddles after heavy rain.

Cllr Baker, who serves as a Kent County Council (KCC) cabinet member, said: “We have a lot of foreign trade coming in and perhaps not contributing in the way we would like to the upkeep of our roads. Clearly, HGVs cause a lot more damage than cars.”

The AA pothole figures - 10,000 up this year on last - show it is a national problem, not one that only affects Kent, he added.

Cllr Baker added: “However, Kent is in the unique position of being the UK’s gateway to Europe and London which brings significantly higher levels of freight and tourist traffic onto Kent’s roads than in other parts of the UK.

“It is critical that the government earmarks additional funding for road maintenance in the forthcoming budget so that we can improve the essential Kent highway network that connects our communities and powers our businesses.”

AA president Edmund King said: “Recently we have seen an increase in vehicle pothole damage as the heavy rain means puddles hide the potholes.

“The current government knows that all road users are fed up with potholes and has the opportunity to make a step change in the spiral of decline by adopting and advocating measures to permanently fix the problem rather than the past patchwork approach.

“It is costing drivers a fortune but tragically costing lives for those on two wheels.”

The motoring rescue service also shares KCC’s view that permanently fixing damaged roads will cut costs to drivers and reduce casualties.

Cllr Baker added: "Potholes are the endpoint and a symptom of decades of significant under-funding in roads by central government.

“With a dramatic increase in funding over a long period, we would instead be talking about resurfacing and rebuilding roads, with a programme laid out over decades, and far fewer potholes to fix.”

Cllr Baker says KCC’s good work and investment is often overlooked by the “scale of the task”.

He added: “Each year, we invest more than £50m a year in Kent’s local highway network, which includes repairing potholes and resurfacing roads and footways.

“However, the number of defects reported on the roads continues to be exceptionally high.”

In 2017-18, KCC recorded 34,474 potholes compared to 57,481 in 2023-24.

Driving instructors in Kent describe the menace as “car killers” for the damage they can do to vehicles.

Medway motorist James Chegge, 55, said potholes had cost him and his wife hundreds of pounds in burst tyres in the past year.

He said: “I think the roads are getting worse. I have changed the tyres several times and it’s really costly because the price of rubber keeps going up.

“The last time it happened it cost nearly £300 - that’s out of control.”

While the heavy freight and vehicle volumes are a significant factor, Kent’s massive ongoing house-building programme - imposed by central government - has put tens of thousands of extra cars on the road in recent years.

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said last month: “For too long, this country has suffered from a pothole plague. Our roads have become a constant and visible reminder of the decline in our country’s infrastructure, which stunts economic growth.

“From drivers to bikers to cyclists, everyone who uses our roads deserves a safe and pleasant journey. That’s why I’ve pledged to support local authorities to fix up to one million more potholes per year.”