Manchester apparently has the lowest rate of fixed reported potholes in the UK, a new survey has discovered.
It comes as a list of Britain’s so-called ‘pothole capitals’ has been released, with Manchester coming in at number eight.
Hereford, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Sheffield, and Birmingham are among the English places that accompany Manchester on the top 10 list, while the top two spots are (unfortunately) claimed by Scotland’s two biggest cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Wrexham and Swansea were Wales’ representatives within the top 10.
All these shocking revelations are according to a new study from data collection experts at SmartSurvey, who analysed the reports of potholes registered via FixMyStreet.com for 68 cities across England, Scotland, and Wales – but excluding London.
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Top 10 ‘pothole capitals’ in the UK
City
Potholes unfixed per 1,000 residents
Fix rate (%)
1
Glasgow
11.7
24.25
2
Edinburgh
8.2
22.25
3
Hereford
7.9
50.24
4
Southampton
7.3
31.65
5
Wrexham
5.9
26.93
6
Stoke-on-Trent
5.7
37.28
7
Sheffield
5.5
37.73
8
Manchester
5.4
19.18
9
Birmingham
5.1
24.07
10
Swansea
5.0
24.26
Since some residents use the FixMyStreet platform more than others, fix rates were evaluated only for the 41 cities with at least 100 reports registered since 2007 – which is when the platform was launched – up until 12 January 2024.
The top 10 cities with the highest number of potholes per capita are contained within the latter 41 cities, where fix rates were said to have been ‘measurable’.
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Glasgow was named as Britain’s pothole capital, among the cities outside London, because, since 2007, Glaswegians filed 9,780 reports of potholes, and only 2,372 had been marked as “fixed” until 12 January this year, with the remaining 7,408 reports said to be spread “rather evenly” across the city’s population of 635,130.
New survey finds Manchester has the lowest rate of fixed reported potholes in the UK / Credit: Wikimedia Commons | Flickr
This is the equivalent of 11.7 yet-to-be-fixed reported potholes for every 1,000 residents.
Experts at SmartSurvey say that, as of 12 January 2024, city dwellers across Britain – outside of London, are still waiting for local authorities to solve a total of 70,413 pothole reports, and apparently, Councils tend to fix only four in 10 potholes,
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This is based on average rates in cities with the most “proactive” residents.
Molly-Mae Hague and adidas drop new collection inspired by matcha and iced lattes
Daisy Jackson
Today, adidas has finally released its hotly-anticipated parnership with Manchester-based influencer Molly-Mae Hague.
The social media superstar has collaborated with the sportswear giant for a limited-edition footwear collection inspired by matchas and iced lattes.
Molly-Mae and adidas Originals have just given fans a look at the shoes for the first time.
The star has curated a limited-edition collection of iconic Originals silhouettes – a Samba and a Superstar.
The first is the Samba Matcha shoes, a premium leather and suede shoe in a soft green colour, with double pink and white laces.
The other is a Superstar II Latte, which again features double laces in coffee-coloured hues, but in the iconic leather Superstar silhouette.
In behind-the-scenes footage of the design process on Molly-Mae’s Amazon Prime documentary series, Behind It All, she described them as ‘matcha cool girl in London’ shoes – and the vision has definitely come to life.
Molly-Mae said: “Seeing my creative vision come to life on two iconic adidas Originals silhouettes that have long been staples in my wardrobe is a true dream.
“Being so closely involved in the design process and creating products that feel fun, timeless, and an authentic extension of my own personal style has been the best experience.
“I am so excited to see how others style them in their own way.”
Steve Marks, VP Brand adidas UK commented: “At adidas, we partner with individuals who define style through authenticity and a deep-rooted connection to our brand.
“Molly-Mae’s relationship with adidas Originals has developed organically over time as a key advocate of the brand and this partnership represents a natural evolution – bringing her signature aesthetic to two of our most iconic silhouettes.”
The limited-edition adidas Originals x Molly-Mae collection drops in stores and online on 9 April, priced at £100 per pair.
Greater Manchester’s homicide rates have now dropped to a ‘historic’ low
Emily Sergeant
Homicide rates in Greater Manchester are now at the lowest they’ve been for 25 years, according to new figures.
Thanks to a major programme introduced by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to prevent violent crime and keep communities safe, known as the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), it has been revealed that the region’s homicide rate has fallen by 32% in 2025 to what is its lowest level on record since 1990.
If you’re unfamiliar with what the VRU is, it brings together GMP, Greater Manchester Probation Service, health and education professionals, youth justice, local authorities, and the voluntary, community and faith sector to address the underlying causes of violent crime.
It’s this multi-agency approach that’s said to be delivering ‘tangible results’ and driving a reduction in violent crime in Greater Manchester.
As well as homicide rates, the VRU’s partnership work with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is also said to be having ‘major impact’ across the region on issues like knife crime.
Thanks to operational activity helping to disrupt serious violence and remove more weapons from the region’s streets, the police have also recorded that knife crime in Greater Manchester has fallen by 15% in the last year too.
Following a steady decline since 2021, rates of personal robbery have fallen by 17% in the last year in Greater Manchester.
Greater Manchester’s homicide rates have now dropped to a ‘historic’ low / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Additionally, A&E attendances due to assault decreased by 3% in the same time period, with a 9% reduction among young people aged 10–24, and ambulance callouts for assault also fell by 9% in relation to this.
GMCA says that the reductions in demand for emergency services, as revealed in the latest figures, prove just how much the VRU’s combined prevention and enforcement approach is working.
“These latest figures show the real progress being made in tackling violent crime and making our streets safer,” commented Mayor Andy Burnham.
“Reductions in knife crime and homicides don’t happen by chance – they come from early intervention, our strong partnership with the police and our work with communities to tackle the root causes of violence.”
Emily Sergeant -
29th January 2024 
