Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is backing a promise by road authorities to fix potholes within 24 hours of notification - and is calling on people around the city to be proactive about reporting them.

“This is an excellent initiative. I am totally behind the pothole promise and I hope [Auckland Transport] can deliver it,” he said.

“I encourage Aucklanders to be proactive about reporting potholes and also reporting any cases where it has taken longer to get them fixed than promised.”

Brown’s comments come after AT announced the launch of a new initiative to fix potholes on Auckland roads faster - within 24 hours of being reported - 95% of the time.

On its website, it is dubbed as “our pothole promise”.

Potholes cover a gravel Auckland rural road, leaving it resembling Swiss cheese. Photo / Supplied

“If you report a pothole on one of our busy main roadways, we’ll send someone to fill it and make it safe within 24 hours,” it reads.

“For all other sealed roads, we’ll be there within five days.”

AT has filled more than 3600 potholes across its road network so far, this year.

The authority manages around 7000km of sealed roads and more than 1000km of those roads have an average of 10,000 vehicle movements a day, according to figures on its website.

“These are our high-volume arterial roads. Our promise is that we’ll repair 95% of potholes on these roads within 24 hours of notification.”

Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced a ring-fenced Pothole Prevention Fund earlier this year; with up to $3.9 billion going towards roading maintenance and upgrades.

Potholes happen when water penetrates the underlying road pavement through cracks in the road surface.

How high rainfall is a factor

Auckland Transport spokesman Alan Wallace said they had received an increased level of funding for road maintenance from the NZ Transport Agency and the Auckland Council.

“It will mean we can halt the deterioration in the road network and improve levels of service for everyone who uses our roads.”

Wallace - AT’s group manger for road asset maintenance and renewals - said roads in New Zealand were mainly made of granular pavements with a thin layer of bitumen on top to keep the water out.

“Our relatively high rainfall means they are vulnerable to potholing if the road surface is not kept waterproof.”

That is why authorities periodically resurface roads - with the best time to do so before they start to show, he said.

To report a pothole in and around your neighbourhood, visit: Our Pothole Promise.