The ACT government received 3028 pothole complaints through Access Canberra from January 1 until October 6 last year.

There were 2.3 times more complaints made in 2021 than the year before and over three times more than in 2019. In 2020 there were 1292 complaints made, compared to 91 in 2019.

There were more than two times as many potholes repaired in the 2020/21 financial year than the one before.

On November 11, 2021, City Services Minister Chris Steel told the Legislative Assembly the average turnaround time from receiving a pothole complaint to fixing it was about 10 business days.

Additionally, an ACT government spokesperson said they tried to fix "potholes of immediate safety concern" within 48 hours.

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Despite the high turnaround times, Australian Road Research Board chief executive officer Michael Caltabiano said recurring potholes was a sign roads had not been maintained properly.

Potholes are created when water seeps into cracked bitumen, which occurs through oxidation.

"When people see increasing instances of potholes on the network, [it] is inevitably a consequence of a maintenance environment where where the bitumen is not being refreshed and replaced as frequently as it needs to be," Mr Caltabiano said.

An ACT government spokesperson said it undertook road resurfacing every year. They said the 2021-22 program started in November 2021.

"The $19.5 million repair program will see 925,000 square metres of roads resurfaced across Canberra to make them safer, smoother to drive on and extend their lifespan," the spokesperson said.

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Mr Caltabiano said while temporary pothole repairs were important, they would have to be retreated with a proper sealing.

"A temporary repair, which is throwing some cold-mix asphalt into the end of the pothole and compacting it, that's just a holding pattern. Proper repair requires digging out of the failed pavement area, reinstating a new pavement and then resealing over the top," he said.

"You must fix the temporary repair in the shortest possible time because it will not last. There is no shortcut."

The ACT government said: "Some potholes are made safe with cold mix and may reappear with ongoing and significant rainfall re-entering the pavement sub-base layers."

"To help prevent this, the ACT government undertakes longer term repair work involving heavy patching with hot asphalt on problematic potholes that reoccur," a spokesperson said.

The ACT government spokesperson said the increase in potholes were caused by La Nina, which has brought extra rain to Canberra this year.

Mr Caltabiano agreed the extra rain would further damage roads, but only when they have not been properly maintained. He said often roads in areas would deteriorate at the same time, as they are often laid down and age at the same time.

"We're going to have a very wet summer, and it will really expose pavements and road structures that are in need of good maintenance strategies," he said.

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