RAC chief engineer David Bizley warned the figures demonstrate how a spell of extreme weather could result in road surfaces deteriorating even further.

He said: "After a period of steady improvement, it is disappointing to see an unwelcome rise in the number of pothole-related breakdowns.

"The most worrying aspect, however, is the fact that this year's weather has been so much milder and drier than in the equivalent six months last year and, for this reason, we should have expected the numbers for the second quarter to be lower.

"We fear it would only take a spell of very cold or wet weather for the improvements of the last year or two to evaporate and for the nation to find itself in a situation when we would once again be seeking emergency funding from Government to address the worst affected roads."

The annual road maintenance survey of the Ashphalt Industry Alliance found that local authorities in England and Wales need over £12 billion of funding to bring the road network up to scratch. This is several times more than councils' entire annual revenue spending on highways and transport, which was £4.4 billion in England last year.

Martin Tett, the Local Government Association's transport spokesman, said: "Councils are repairing a pothole at a rate of one every 19 seconds, but funding pressures mean the resources they have to carry out these essential road repairs are coming from an ever-dwindling pot."

A Department for Transport spokesman said: "It is vital councils keep our roads in a good condition to deliver better journeys for drivers.

"Nationally, we are providing councils more than £6 billion over six years to maintain roads and repair potholes.

"On top of this, we announced last autumn an additional £1.1 billion to upgrade and repair roads for communities across England.

"From 2020, we will also have a dedicated share from the National Road Fund to improve and maintain our major roads."