Mark Morrell, aka Mr Pothole, has hung up his high-vis jacket and retired from his one-man campaign to improve the state of the UK's roads.
After more than 10 years of effort, the former mayor of Brackley has become a media celebrity, well-known to both local reporters and national broadcasters.
His down-to-earth manner, firm knowledge of the subject, and obvious passion had put him in high demand for interviews on road maintenance, which, due to long-term underfunding, has become a constant concern of motorists up and down the country.
He also helped establish National Pothole Day, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this week and has become a staple of the roads sector.
Sadly, he has had to call his campaign a day due to his wife's ill health - 'for her support, I need to be there', he told Good Morning Britain.
A family man first and foremost, Mr Morrell was always bound to put his loved ones before all else; however, he also told broadcasters that he had 'lost faith completely in any government or political party really wanting to do something'.
'The size of the [repairs] backlog in the UK is not only £16.3bn in carriageway way works in England and Wales; there is a £6bn backlog in bridge maintenance then you have footpaths and drainage. I estimate it is probably £30bn.
'If the Government had come out and said they would put in an extra £3bn a year to resurface our roads I could see there being some change, but unfortunately that is not going to happen.
'I really don't like having to leave the campaign but in 12 years I have tried a lot. I only started for six months to see what difference I could make.
Mr Pothole estimates his campaign has led to £5m worth of extra resurfacing work locally, a further 10,000 pothole repairs acted on and helped hundreds of people with claims.
He also contributed to the transport select committee's enquiries into the issue, specifically its report Local roads funding and maintenance, filling the gap, under its former chair and now roads minister, Lilian Greenwood.
Mr Pothole advised Ms Greenwood to implement the recommendations of the report and not let it 'gather dust'.
As he bowed out, Mr Morrell won plaudits from the sector.
The Asphalt Industry Alliance said: 'Hats off to you Mark for all the work you've done in keeping the public's attention on the issue of road maintenance and funding.'
Mr Pothole was made a lifetime Highways Hero by Highways magazine. A letter from the editor stated: ' In honour of your outstanding achievements in the field of protecting the public's infratructure please accept a lifetime's fellowship to the worshipful company of the original Highways Heroes.
'You may now add the symbol of the traffic cone to your heraldry.'
