Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander’s vehicle had to be hauled away after hitting a pothole described as being as deep as a crater on the moon. The incident took place last month as Alexander was driving her Mini Cooper on the B4437 near Burford in Oxfordshire, returning from a Labour fundraising event in Swindon South.

Photographs captured the green car being loaded onto an AA recovery truck following the mishap. Speaking to the Sun, Alexander humorously compared the pothole to a crater seen by astronauts on Artemis II during their recent mission around the Moon.

She expressed frustration over the incident, labeling it as an unexpected expense and inconvenience. Alexander highlighted that many people across the country face similar challenges. Oxfordshire has allotted £34 million this year to address pothole issues.

Recent estimates indicate that the cost of repairing deteriorating local roads in England and Wales has surged to a record £18.6 billion. The Department for Transport warned English councils that up to a third of their funding for pothole repairs could be at risk if they fail to demonstrate effective use of the allocated funds.

Authorities are required to prove responsible spending to access the £1.6 billion funding for local roads maintenance in the 2026/27 financial year, with £525 million contingent on appropriate expenditure.

Earlier this year, Alexander pledged to eradicate the pothole problem and improve the condition of roads in Britain. In an article for LBC, she emphasized the daily challenges faced by drivers and cyclists due to poorly maintained roads, stressing the need to address the issue promptly to alleviate financial burdens on motorists.