Notorious potholes in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter were fixed 'overnight' ahead of Aston Villa's Europa League victory parade, sparking anger among residents who say they had complained for months without action.
Potholes fixed 'overnight' for Villa parade
Huge potholes on Frederick Street, described by one driver as 'craters' that damaged his car, were repaired just hours before thousands of Villa fans gathered to celebrate the club's historic European triumph. Residents claim they had been reporting the defects for at least six months before the repairs were finally carried out ahead of the open-top bus parade.
A video posted on X by Ash Scrivens showed the resurfaced road. He said: 'Birmingham Council rushing out to fix potholes hours before the Villa parade. The same potholes that damaged my wheel last year! The UK is so broken.'
The clip sparked frustration online, with many accusing the authority of only acting once the roads were due to be seen by thousands of fans and TV cameras. 'Literally, what are our taxes for if the council only does stuff to save face and not out of duty and responsibility?' questioned one X user.
Reiss Omari, who uses his social media platform to advocate for a better Birmingham, added: 'Shocking that it has taken an event to get these roads around the JQ fixed. These weren't even potholes, they were craters, and they'd been there for at least six months. Glad they're fixed but can we start looking after the city at all times?'
Council defends its actions
Frederick Street was one of many roads in the city centre affected by closures and restrictions for the parade. The repairs come amid ongoing anger over the state of Birmingham's roads, with drivers repeatedly raising concerns about potholes damaging vehicles and creating safety hazards.
A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: 'We assess all highway network defects using a defined risk matrix to ensure a consistent and proportionate response to repairs. Where significant events or activities are expected to increase pedestrian footfall or road usage, we take a proactive approach by reassessing conditions and, where necessary, accelerating repairs. This ensures we maintain a safe and reliable network for all users at all times.'
The spokesperson added: 'Like many highway authorities, we have experienced a significant increase in both reactive repairs and planned maintenance activity across the network since the start of 2026. Our teams are working at pace to prioritise and address defects based on safety risk and network condition, alongside an extensive programme of ongoing works scheduled across Birmingham. We continue to monitor road network safety and will take appropriate action when issues are reported and identified.'
Villa's parade saw tens of thousands of supporters line city streets as Unai Emery's side celebrated the club's first European trophy in decades.
