Pothole pain: NRMA data reveals areas with most tyre, wheel damage call-outs

New data has revealed tens of thousands of motorists have suffered tyre and wheel damage on Sydney roads in the past 12 months. See which areas are the worst for pothole misery.

Pothole pain is becoming more expensive than ever before, with data revealing tens of thousands of motorists suffered tyre and wheel damage on Sydney roads.

With ‘rain bombs’ and flooding smashing NSW in recent months, more potholes have surfaced than ever before.

Analysis conducted by NRMA found in the last six months of 2021, the insurance organisation responded to about 56,000 call-outs for tyre and wheel damage.

A pothole at Church Point. Picture: Tim Hunter.

NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said consistent rain hammering the state had only made the situation worse in recent months, noting the weather had meant councils had been unable to make pothole repairs.

“When we had those periods of intense flooding we saw a significant increase in demand for assistance. The numbers were significant in terms of breakdowns and tyre damage,” he said.

NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

“It was a particularly busy period with significant demand for roadside assistance with a large part of that being damage caused by potholes.

“The fact it hasn’t stopped raining has also meant councils couldn't get out and fix those potholes and in the meantime they are getting larger and causing more damage.”

Mr Khoury said areas such as Blacktown and the Central Coast top the list for people requiring assistance for tyre and wheel damage due to the areas high traffic volume.

“High traffic areas with significant developments mean there are often heavy vehicles on the road,” he said. “Couple that with sustained damage from constant rain and it is no surprise why we often see high numbers in these regions.”

The wet weather has cost Sydney councils millions of dollars in pothole repairs.

BLACKTOWN

The Blacktown LGA recorded the highest number of call outs in the last six months of 2021.

A council spokeswoman said the area topped the list as it is home to one of the biggest local road networks in NSW.

“The Blacktown LGA has the biggest population of any LGA in NSW – therefore more car drivers, and more cars. We have been hit with three major wet weather events in just over 12-months, causing wide spread flooding and road damage,” she said.

Council staff repairing Sherbrooke Ave, Rooty Hill. Picture: Blacktown Council

“The northwest areas of Blacktown, such as Schofields, Marsden Park and Riverstone, are undergoing the highest level of industrial and residential development in NSW.

“Existing ‘rural’ and ‘minor’ roads are taking significant levels of construction/heavy vehicle traffic, causing significant road damage. The development of these local and rural roads into major roads (the responsibility of the NSW Government) has not kept pace with the residential development.”

The council spokeswoman said it spends more than $25 million a year on road maintenance with nearly $6.5 million spent on pot holes alone.

From July 1 2021 to now, council estimates it has repaired more than 10,000 pot holes.

CENTRAL COAST

A Central Coast Council spokesman said with its 2200km of local roads, the area is routinely plagued by potholes after heavy rain.

He said following last month’s severe weather event, council crews responded to more than 120 after-hour call-outs, closed more than 80 roads, attended to 23 landslips and repaired more than 16,000 potholes.

Council also said it had fixed 3000 potholes in the last week of February alone.

Pothole damage in Byron Bay after widespread flooding. Picture: Tessa Flemming

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN

The Canterbury-Bankstown LGA ranked third on the list of worst LGAs for NRMA call outs with 2451 wheel and tyre incidents between July and December 2021.

A spokesman from Canterbury-Bankstown Council said maintenance crews had been working around the clock, but the weather hasn’t been kind.

“It’s a huge job, so we’re currently pulling resources from other areas – such as drainage or concrete maintenance – so that we’re better able to focus on the potholes,” he said.

“As a general rule, the potholes are repaired in most cases within 48 hours.

“However, we are experiencing some delays due to the sheer number of potholes caused by the ongoing wet weather.”

Canterbury-Bankstown Council said it allocated a budget of roughly $1 million to potholes each year.

NORTHERN BEACHES

The Northern Beaches Council ranked fourth on the list for most call outs. A council spokesman said it had received 1990 reports of potholes on local roads since February 28 and had repaired 1519 (76 per cent) of them.

“The Northern Beaches has suffered through some extreme weather in the last month which have caused lots of damage to our roads and other infrastructure,” Northern Beaches mayor Michael Regan said. “We were almost at the end of the repair list from the early March floods when we were hit again by rain and coastal erosion.

Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan

“Our crews are on the ground, working additional hours and doing everything they can to get through the long list of reported issues.”

WOLLONDILLY

Wollondilly Shire Council expects landslide and pothole repairs from last week’s storm alone to cost close to $3 million.

Mayor Matt Gould said the region had been hit with four flood events in three years and its roads had “really taken a beating”.

“Council is still assessing the damage, repairs could cost an additional $3 million following last week’s storm on top of well over $3 million they expected to claim from the March weather events,” he said.

“Unfortunately the compound effect of the flood events of 2020, 2021 and 2022 have caused significant cumulative damage to the road network.

“We didn’t have time to recover from the March event before last week’s storm hit and our resources are stretched beyond reasonable capacity.”

CAMDEN

Residents of Camden suffered multiple landslips and riverbank collapses from recent wet weather.

A Camden Council spokesman said while repair works to their road network had begun they are currently assessing the scope of the damage.

“Repair works to roads have begun where possible and the council is in the process of assessing the scope of further damage,” he said.