Citroën Calls for AI-Led Revolution to Tackle Britain's Pothole Crisis

New 'Better Roads Manifesto' urges councils to embrace artificial intelligence, introduce national repair standards and strengthen accountability for utility companies as deteriorating roads continue to cost motorists billions.

Citroën has launched a nationwide campaign calling for a fundamental overhaul of how Britain's roads are managed, arguing that greater use of artificial intelligence, long-term funding and tougher oversight of utility companies could dramatically improve the condition of the UK's highways.

The manufacturer's new Better Roads Manifesto outlines six recommendations aimed at helping local highway authorities reduce the growing maintenance backlog while improving safety and delivering better value for taxpayers.

According to Citroën, addressing the country's pothole problem could generate savings of more than £5.5 billion, through lower vehicle repair costs, fewer collisions and a more efficient road network.

AI at the Centre of Smarter Highway Maintenance

One of the manifesto's headline proposals is for local authorities to make AI-driven road inspections a standard part of highway asset management.

Rather than relying primarily on scheduled inspections or public reports, Citroën believes predictive technology could analyse road condition data, identify deterioration at an earlier stage and prioritise repairs before defects become more severe.

The company argues that a more proactive approach would improve network resilience while reducing long-term maintenance costs.

Inconsistent Repair Standards Highlighted

The manifesto follows a series of Freedom of Information requests submitted to all 154 local highway authoritiesacross Britain.

The responses revealed significant variation in how councils deal with reported potholes.

According to Citroën's research, some authorities indicated that repairs could take up to three months, while one council reported that, in exceptional cases, defects could remain unresolved for almost a year.

The findings, the manufacturer says, demonstrate the need for greater consistency in both repair times and maintenance standards.

Drivers Back Greater Investment

Alongside the FOI research, Citroën surveyed motorists to understand public attitudes towards road maintenance.

The results suggest deteriorating road conditions are having a direct impact on driver safety.

More than a quarter of respondents said they had either lost control of their vehicle while avoiding a pothole or encountered hazards created by damaged road surfaces.

The research also indicates that many motorists would support increased investment if funding was ringfenced for highway maintenance.

More than half said they would accept higher council tax, while almost half supported higher Vehicle Excise Duty, provided the additional revenue was used specifically to improve local roads.

Six-Point Plan for Better Roads

Citroën's Better Roads Manifesto calls for:

• Mandatory use of AI to support highway inspections.

• Greater accountability for utility companies and developers carrying out street works.

• Multi-year government funding settlements for local roads.

• A national quality standard for pothole repairs.

• Greater community involvement to support defect reporting.

• Improved road cleaning programmes to remove debris that can create additional hazards.

The company believes the proposals would help authorities move away from reactive maintenance towards a more preventative approach.

Harnessing Public Reporting

Alongside the policy recommendations, Citroën is encouraging motorists to use the STAN pothole reporting app, allowing road defects to be reported directly to the relevant highway authority.

The manufacturer says better reporting, combined with improved asset data and AI analysis, would provide councils with a more complete picture of network condition and help prioritise repairs more effectively.

A Call for Long-Term Reform

Highways consultant Dave Gaster, who contributed to the manifesto, said Britain's roads have reached a critical point where continued short-term maintenance approaches risk increasing future costs.

He argued that while the challenges facing local authorities are considerable, the solutions proposed are practical and achievable, with the potential to improve road quality, enhance safety and reduce the financial burden on both councils and motorists over the long term.