'A703 between Peebles to Leadburn has pothole problem'

A total of 579 potholes were reported on the A703 between Peebles to Leadburn and 2023.

Topping the poll was the Great Western Road, which runs west from Glasgow, with 1,451 potholes reported last year.

Scotland’s worst roads for potholes have been revealed thanks to Freedom of Information requests put in by comparison platform Confused.com.

The requests were sent to all Scottish local authorities.

In total, more than 123,000 potholes were reported to councils in Scotland last year, Confused.com reported.

UK-wide polling further found that 92 per cent of Brits have driven over a pothole, 22 per cent reported damaging their vehicle in doing so, and the majority (58 per cent) said the potholes in the roads had never been worse.

A majority of people (53 per cent) also said that it should be a legal requirement for councils to repair a pothole after it has been reported.

The most common damages caused by potholes include punctured tyres (57 per cent), damaged suspension (35 per cent) or damaged tracking (32 per cent), according to the polling.

To repair these damages, drivers said they had to pay out £169 on average.

Louise Thomas, a motor expert with Confused.com car insurance, said: “Although the harsh winter months are almost behind us, potholes are still proving problematic for drivers. That’s as pothole reports in Scotland reached more than 123,000 last year. And across the UK, data shows how reports totalled almost one million – a 24 per cent increase compared to 2020.

“If you see a pothole while driving, it’s important to report it to the local council straight away. Even if it didn’t damage your car, you could help to protect other drivers who might come into contact with it at a later date. Potholes can cause damage to vehicles, so the sooner it’s fixed, the safer road users will be.”

A survey of 2,000 UK drivers was conducted between February 5-9 by OnePoll on behalf of Confused.com.