Potholes just won’t let go off the news headlines, despite Trump’s best efforts.

Yet another damning report has been built on the state of the nation’s crumbling roads.

While many of the motorways and high-speed strategic main roads seem in relatively reasonable or good condition, the majority of our road network is crumbling.

Urban and local ‘A’ and ‘B’ roads appear to be in a worse and more dangerous state than ever.

Out of control

The latest data reveals worrying news for drivers as the cost of pothole damage is once more on the increase.

After welcome falls to pothole-related vehicle repairs over the last two years, the previous twelve months have seen the nation’s drivers face a total bill of £1.7bn in repairing damage to their cars caused by potholes.

Kwik Fit monitors the level of damage annually for its PIT Report (Pothole Impact Tracker).

Its latest research has found that the average repair bill faced by drivers is the highest since the company began tracking the cost in 2013.

Drivers who had to repair damage from potholes over the last twelve months had to fork out an average of £144, up from £120 in the previous year.

It found that as the average repair cost increased, the number of drivers facing the highest bills also increased.

During the last year, over one million drivers have stumped up more than £300.

Rolling on

Kwik Fit’s data includes all cars suffering pothole damage, not just those that have to be recovered from the roadside but also those that can be driven to a garage.

Over the last year, the most commonly damaged components were tyres (38% of repairs), suspension (28%), and wheels (22%).

With advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) becoming commonplace on vehicles, potholes have a knock-on effect beyond the immediate components damaged by the impact.

Almost half (48%) of cars needing repairs also needed wheel alignment, and a third (34%) required the ADAS system to be recalibrated, adding further cost.

Personal pain

Most of the nation’s repair bills come directly from drivers’ pockets, and 70% of the repairs are funded by drivers.

Only one in six (16%) have claimed from their car insurance, while 7% said they were covered by separate tyre insurance policies, an increasingly common insurance option in light of the chronicle poor state of the roads.

Kwik Fit’s research found that just 6% had claimed compensation from the local authority responsible for the road.

It is increasingly difficult to successfully claim from local authorities – the onus is on the complainant to prove the local Authority had prior knowledge of the pothole and had failed to repair it before the incident was claimed.

Going large

An increasing number of cars are fitted with large wheel sizes.

These options cost more to begin with, then any tyre or subsequent wheel damage is higher too.

More drivers are protecting themselves with specialist tyre insurance.

For example, Kwik Fit has seen the proportion of its ‘Tyrecare’ policies taken out on larger, premium tyres almost double over the last two years.

It’s not surprising.

Over half (51%) of drivers believe that the roads in their area are in a worse condition than they were 12 months ago, with only 16% thinking they are better.

Meanwhile, the majority of drivers are also pessimistic about the short-term prospects of improvements to road surfaces, despite government claims of more investment.

Kwik Fit’s survey found that 62% of respondents said they didn’t expect the roads to be in their local area.

Worrying decline

Dan Joyce, operations director at Kwik Fit, said: “It’s concerning to see that the downward trend of the last two years has gone into reverse in the latest figures. Anything which adds unnecessary costs to motorists is especially unwelcome in the current economic climate but even the financial burden is outweighed by the risk to safety.

“The main components which bear the bulk of the damage – tyres and wheels, suspension and steering – are interlinked. Even if a car is driveable after hitting a pothole, the impact may have compromised its handling, as can be seen by the fact that many drivers have had to have vital ADAS technology recalibrated. Not only do potholes present an immediate risk at the time of impact, they can have a longer term effect on its safety on the road.”

Dan Joyce shares his key tips to help drivers minimise the risk of pothole damage:

  • Maintain pressure: Tyres are the contact point – the correct inflation will help absorb some of the impact.

  • Give time and space: Easing off the speed and leaving more space in front gives drivers more time to spot and avoid potholes, and if they can’t be avoided will reduce the force of the impact.

  • Check – and check again: If impact is unavoidable, drivers should pay close attention to the car afterwards. If it feels or sounds unusual, drivers should find a safe place to stop and check for damage. And then check again in the following days, as some damage may not be immediately apparent. Many tyre centres, including Kwik Fit will carry out a free check.

 

Dismal forecast

The Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) conducted the Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey, underscoring the severity of the situation.

Their 2024 report revealed that more than half of the local road network in England and Wales could fail within the next 15 years, with the backlog of repairs reaching a record high of £16.3 billion.

Despite a 40% increase in the number of potholes filled over the last 12 months, surface conditions have continued to decline, highlighting the need for more comprehensive maintenance strategies.

The same ALARM survey also noted that only 47% of roads in England and Wales are classified as being in good structural condition.

The remaining 53%—over 107,000 miles—have less than 15 years of structural life remaining.

These are mainly more minor urban and country roads, particularly in towns and cities.

This deterioration has led to roads being resurfaced, on average, once every 80 years, far below the frequency required to maintain optimal driving conditions.