The figure represents the total cost to clear the city’s repair backlog.

The revelation follows recent measures by the council to balance its books, including an eight per cent rise in council tax and a ten per cent increase in parking charges. Despite these hikes, intended to alleviate a budget gap of almost £40m, the authority admits that maintaining the roads in their current condition alone will cost an estimated £11.3m, The Scotsman reports.

A recent independent survey, while noting a slight improvement, found that nearly 30 per cent of Edinburgh’s roads still require work. The scale of the problem is highlighted by the 20,852 potholes recorded in 2024, with one crater taking 342 days to be repaired. Since 2015, the council has also paid over £150,000 in compensation for vehicle damage, with the number of claims more than doubling between 2022 and 2024.

The Labour-run administration, supported by Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors, defended its record. Officials pointed to an extra £12.5m of investment last year which led to a “record delivery” of repairs, with over 460,000 m sq of carriageway treated. Funding for roads and pavements has also increased to £26m for the current financial year.

However, critics argue this is not enough. The SNP opposition labelled the situation “complete incompetence”, stating that residents have seen no discernible improvement despite the increased spending.

The blame is being cast widely. Conservative and Liberal Democrat MSPs contend that the root cause is the SNP-led Scottish Government’s “brutal cuts” to local authority budgets, which have hampered long-term infrastructure planning.

The council’s transport convener, Stephen Jenkinson, acknowledged that “we still have a lot of work ahead” but insisted the council is on the “right track”. He stated that the authority will “continue to do the best we can for the city with the resources we have available,” citing significant recent improvements despite profound financial constraints.