Southampton City Council in Hampshire announced on 23 March 2026 that it is increasing its road repair budget to £10 million to tackle damage caused by an exceptionally wet winter. The local authority is providing £6.641 million of its own funding, which represents an increase of £4.427 million compared to the previous year.
This local money is being combined with a £3.359 million allocation from the Department for Transport to reach the final total for the coming year. Officials decided to boost the spending after January and February 2026 saw nearly double the average amount of rainfall, which has led to more potholes forming across the city.
According to the Southampton Weather Station, January 2026 saw 196.2mm of rain, which is 88.3mm more than the long-term average. February 2026 followed with 164.6mm of rain, 79.6mm above the average for that time of year, with both months recording some of the highest rainfall levels in recent years.
The council will use new repair materials that set in about one-third of the time of traditional methods to help crews complete more fixes each day. While the budget has increased, the council estimates that £77 million would be needed to bring every road in the city up to the standard residents expect.
Crews from Balfour Beatty Living Places will prioritise fixing main roads and the most dangerous breaks in the road surface first. Residents are encouraged to report potholes on the council website so that staff can assess and fix them.
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