Motorists in the UK contribute tens of billions of pounds each year through fuel duty, vehicle taxes and related charges, yet only a fraction of that money is spent on maintaining the roads they use. Despite the scale of this contribution, potholes and deteriorating road surfaces have become a familiar feature of everyday driving. This imbalance is well recognised within government but is rarely discussed openly. As more drivers switch to electric vehicles, the funding gap is set to widen further. The result is a system where drivers pay more than ever, while roads continue to decline.