More than 2 million potholes were filled by contractors last year.

But the recent bad weather has counteracted much of that work leaving the network needing even more money for maintenance.

The warning in the 19th Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) Survey comes despite a 20% decrease in the shortfall in annual road maintenance budgets reported by local authorities.

Councils are  investing more in road maintenance with the average shortfall dropping from £6.2m to £5.1m per authority in England.

Asphalt Industry Alliance Chairman, Alan Mackenzie said: “These figures are disappointing for everyone who has worked hard together on the Highway Maintenance Efficiency Programme (HMEP) initiated by the Department for Transport.

“It’s thanks to HMEP that so many highways departments have successfully made the case to their councils to invest in more repair to avoid further deterioration and costs.  To see that work washed away is discouraging to say the least.

“The Government has recently made significant additional funds available to help combat the results of the relentless rainfall this winter but money spent on repairing damage never goes as far as money invested in planned, preventative maintenance.

“It costs at least 20 times more per square metre to fill a pothole than it does to resurface a road.”