Hundreds of new potholes emerge since the rain, but the worst is yet to come

If your commute has been a little bumpier than usual this past week, don't freak out – hundreds of new potholes have appeared on Sydney's road network since torrential downpours earlier this month, but the worse is yet to come.

More than 340 potholes have been spotted in the Sydney metropolitan area in the past fortnight. Roads on the northern beaches were hardest hit, with 64 requests to fix potholes reported to the council in the week of the storms, 90 per cent of which were reported since the rain.

The inner west reported 44 new potholes in just a few days, while both Hunters Hill and Sutherland Shire received 35 reports each and the City of Sydney received 34. Canada Bay Council received 29 reports from the rain, Blacktown Council received 26 and Randwick. The Council got 21. Fairfield Council received 20 car wrecking pothole reports and Liverpool Council received 16.

The NRMA received a daily average of 3092 notices for pothole-related tire and wheel problems each day in the seven days since last week on Thursday, 430 more than usual. An average of 150 people a day called the company with car problems over potholes in the Canterbury-Bankstown area in the week following the storm.

“The longer it takes to get crews out, the bigger the potholes and the more damage to the vehicle,” said insurer spokesman Peter Khoury.

And experts have warned that more potholes will appear in the coming weeks, encouraging drivers to be alert.

“There will be more to come,” Khoury said. “The reason for this is that it receives heavy rains, but the roads deteriorate over time and the more cars drive through them, the worse they get.”