UNSAFE roads throughout Bracknell Forest required nearly £20,000's worth of council funds to fix last year, it has been revealed.

Local authorities need more than £12 billion to bring the road network up to scratch, with the average council experiencing severe cuts in their highways and maintenance budgets.

By contrast, Bracknell Forest Council filled 547 pot holes at a cost of £19,150 last year, with the council's budget increasing by £250,000 since 2012/13.

Councillor Chris Turrell, executive member for planning and transport, said: “Well maintained highways are important for residents and visitors to the borough.

“We aim to prevent potholes from forming in the first place by resurfacing as many roads as we can.

“Nevertheless, like all councils, we do of course still experience potholes from time to time, as the figures show.

“We continue to operate a comprehensive system of highway safety inspections carried out by fully trained inspectors to detect and repair any safety defect quickly and efficiently.”

A report commissioned by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) found the number of potholes filled by councils fell by 19 per cent in England last year.

There is also a gap of £730 million across England and Wales in terms of what council's received last year and how much is required to keep the roads in a reasonable condition.

AIA president Edmund King said: "It is clear that the plague of potholes aren't going to be filled any time soon.

“Even before getting to a main road drivers are using pothole-riddled roads, which they would be lucky to see resurfaced in their lifetime as it takes councils 87 years to get round to it.

“The Government needs to confront the funding shortfall head on and help fund repairs and resurfacing work quicker. If not, our streets will continue to resemble Swiss cheese rather than smooth highways.”