Cardiff Residents Slam “Appalling” Road Conditions Despite Record Spending on Repairs

Cardiff residents say the state of the capital’s roads is “absolutely appalling” — even as new figures reveal the council has poured record amounts of money into repairs.

A Freedom of Information request submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) shows Cardiff Council spent £5.7 million on road surfacing, £72,469 on pothole repairs, and £1.5 million on patching work in 2025. All three categories represent the highest spending levels since 2020.

The year before, the council spent almost half that amount on surfacing and significantly less on potholes and patching. But despite the surge in investment, many people living in the city say they’ve seen little improvement on the ground.

“It’s embarrassing for a capital city”

Resident Liz Nihan didn’t hold back when speaking to the LDRS.

> “It’s atrocious. The roads in Cardiff are absolutely appalling,” she said.  

> “It’s embarrassing for a capital city… wherever you drive, it’s just appalling.”

Others echoed the frustration. Sukhcharan Gill said potholes have become unavoidable.

> “The potholes are just mad. Me and my son have had punctures, cuts — everything,” he said.  

> “Some you can dodge, but some parts are really bad now.”

Regular visitor Sheena Cameron said the issues are noticeable even from the bus.

> “There can be big dips where you really get thrown about,” she said, adding that grooves around bus stops have become so deep “it’s almost like a wave.”

Another resident, Ben, who didn’t want to give his surname, said repairs often feel temporary.

> “It feels like potholes are left unattended or fixed in a way that won’t last,” he said.  

> “It makes it feel like they’re done on the cheap.”

Council: “A challenging winter and a national backlog”

Cardiff Council said the city is facing the same pressures as local authorities across the UK, pointing to a £12bn national backlog in road repairs.

A spokesperson said the winter’s persistent heavy rainfall caused “significant and continuous damage” to road surfaces, leading to a spike in potholes. Utility works were also blamed for weakening road structures and allowing water to seep in.

The council said 4,252 potholes were repaired in the first two months of this year alone, compared to 12,660 across the whole of 2025.

Temporary fixes, they added, are sometimes necessary to make roads safe quickly, with more permanent resurfacing carried out later.

The spokesperson also confirmed Cardiff has received an additional £10m from Welsh Government for resurfacing over the next two years.

More permanent repairs planned

Looking ahead, the council says it aims to increase the use of long‑term reinstatement methods rather than temporary patches, and will trial new repair techniques alongside ongoing resurfacing programmes.