Potholes, your days are numbered. Auckland Council's Pothole Promise has rolled back into town.
There's a certain Auckland formula that never fails: rain + roads + thousands of cars = potholes.
The good news?
Auckland Council is once again declaring war on road craters, launching its annual Pothole Promise and committing to repair 95 per cent of reported potholes on Auckland's busiest roads within 24 hours.
That's right. Spot a pothole on one of Auckland's major routes, report it, and there's a good chance it'll be on the repair list before you've had time to think twice about it.
And while potholes tend to steal the limelight, they're only one small part of a huge effort to keep Auckland moving.
The council looks after around 8,000 kilometres of local roads, including more than 1,000 kilometres of high-volume arterial and regional roads that carry tens of thousands of vehicle movements each day. Keeping that network in shape is a bit like mowing grass in the parks: the work never really stops.
In fact, more than 600 kilometres of sealed roads were resurfaced across Auckland last year, with an even bigger programme planned for 2026/27.
Why the focus?
Because repairing roads early helps prevent them turning into much bigger (and much more expensive) headaches down the track.
So how does the Pothole Promise work?
The rules are pretty simple:
- report a pothole on a busy arterial or regional road and the council aims to fix it within 24 hours
- potholes on other sealed roads will be repaired within five working days
- Aucklanders can help by reporting potholes online through the Auckland Council website
Last year's campaign showed just how proactive Aucklanders, with council crews repairing 642 potholes in just four weeks.
And if there's one thing residents have been consistent about, it's this: they want to see the basics done well.
Chair of the Transport and Infrastructure Delivery Committee Councillor Andy Baker says the campaign is all about focusing on the everyday issues that matter.
"The Pothole Promise is exactly the sort of practical, get-it-done approach Aucklanders expect. See a pothole, report it, and let's get it fixed."
"We're making real progress, but there is always more work to do."
The road crew's not taking a day off
For the people whose job it is to keep Auckland's roads in good shape, potholes are more than just a bump in the road.
Auckland Council Head of Road Asset Maintenance and Renewals Alan Wallace says his team understands just how frustrating they can be.
"Nobody enjoys hitting one on their commute, and we know they can cause damage to vehicles and create unnecessary headaches for drivers."
He says crews are out every day inspecting, repairing and maintaining the network.
"The more quickly we know about a pothole, the more quickly we can respond, so we're encouraging Aucklanders to report any potholes they spot through our website."
Your mission, should you choose to accept it...
Over the coming weeks you'll start seeing the campaign pop up across radio, billboards, social media and digital channels.
The message is simple: potholes might be inevitable, but waiting weeks for them to be fixed shouldn't be.
So next time you spot one lurking in the road, don't just swerve around it and mutter under your breath.
Report it
You can report any issues you are having using the Auckland Transport website.
The pothole-fighting squad will take it from there.