British drivers have been warned the Iran war could cause more problems for motorists beyond skyrocketing fuel prices. A senior council officer has said the conflict could also cause the cost of filling in potholes to surge and potentially make it harder to clear the backlog of road repairs.

Ann Carruthers, Leicestershire County Council’s director of environment and transport, said price hikes to Brent Crude will make the cost of oil-based bitumen — which is used to fill in potholes — also increase. Brent Crude rose past $109 (£82) per barrel on Saturday. Ms Carruthers said pot hole repairs are already being impacted by issues such as rising inflation and wetter weather.

“There are emerging risks around the Iran war and what that is doing in terms of the cost of fuel,” Ms Carruthers said at a recent council meeting, according to the BBC.

“The cost of oil-based products has gone way up, which hits directly on to our highway maintenance operation.”

Ms Carruthers said last winter was Leicestershire’s worst on record for potholes and “defects”, warning this is something also being seen across the country.

“We have had over three times the amount we had last year and way over our highest peak before that,” she said.

“It’s not just Leicestershire, this is hitting right across the country.”

Leicestershire County Council received 2,933 reports of potholes on its roads in February — significantly more than the 791 in February last year and 1,143 twelve months earlier, the BBC reports.

The Reform UK-led authority has pledged £145 million to repair potholes across the county over the next four years.

Ms Carruthers said the council will use all the funding but warned “it still won’t do what we need it to do”.

Iran’s de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz has seen Brent crude oil and natural gas prices reach their highest level since 2022.

Around 20% of the world’s oil supply and liquefied natural gas passes through the narrow waterway.

Some countries have introduced fuel rationing in response to the crisis.

Reports of petrol stations across the country closing after running out of fuel has raised fears the UK could follow suit.

Both the Government and industry experts have insisted there are no shortages.