A local politician has hit out at the amount of potholes in West Dunbartonshire saying she is 'astonished' by the number recorded in recent years.
Pam Gosal, Regional MSP for West of Scotland, says 'savage' cuts to council budgets are the blame for the more than 6000 potholes recorded in the area since 2021.
A series of Freedom of Information requests submitted by the Scottish Conservatives have revealed that over 400,000 have been reported to Scottish councils during this time period.
In West Dunbartonshire, 6863 potholes have been reported to the council.
Pam Gosal says the cuts year after year to council budgets mean local roads are “crumbling” and motorists are paying a “heavy price”.
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She also says that they are the most common complaints she receives from constituents.
The local politician said: “The roads in West Dunbartonshire are in an appalling state.
“The SNP’s savage cuts to local council budgets year after year mean they simply don’t have the resources needed to repair the pothole-ridden roads.
“As a result, we are seeing an astonishing number of potholes being reported by local motorists and I know from my own inbox that potholes are one of the most common sources of complaints I receive from constituents.
“Our local roads are crumbling and motorists are paying a heavy price. They are having to dodge potholes every time they jump in the car – they are virtually unavoidable.
“It is time for the SNP to finally give councils a fair funding deal to ensure the number of potholes on our roads in West Dunbartonshire is drastically reduced, rather than the number recorded continuing to spiral out of control."
A spokesperson said: “It is up to individual local authorities to manage their day-to-day decision-making and allocate the total financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities.
"We recognise the crucial role councils and their employees play in communities across Scotland.
"That’s why the Scottish Government has made available over £14 billion to local councils this year, with a record £15 billion for 2025/26 set out in the Scottish Budget.
"In 2025-26, West Dunbartonshire Council will receive £252.8 million to fund local services, which equates to an extra £14.3 million to support vital day-to-day services or an additional 6% compared to the 2024-25 budget”
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