Wretched roads
Pothole damage increases and driver confidence dwindles
Pothole damage is on the increase as the roads suffer from a decade and more of maintenance underfunding.
The AA claims it has attended an additional 225 breakdowns a day, in November, due to damage caused by potholed roads.
Damage has included blowouts, punctures and suspension damage. What’s more, the heavy rain has meant that standing water is hiding potholes from plain sight. It makes the incidents even more distressing to unaware drivers and can potentially be a road safety hazard.
Monumental
Edmund King, AA president, said: “Potholes hidden by rainfall are one of the worst things all road users must overcome when they head out.
“Well hidden potholes, deeper than expected, and with the ability to cause monumental damage mean our crumbling roads are deteriorating at a rapid rate.”
He goes on to describe the increasing number of call outs “shocking” and says the problems “will only worsen”.
Rain entering existing defective road surfaces means more damage and bigger holes and more fundamental undermining of the road surfaces. When freezing temperatures arrive in winter, then expanding ice will work harder and further to split roads apart.
More investment
The AA is urging the Chancellor and Prime Minister to, at the very least, maintain local roads maintenance funding with their Budget announcement on Thursday.
Recently released Coroner’s reports identify how two cyclists lost their lives due to potholes. Local authority failings in monitoring and repairing the road was also highlighted. Meanwhile, local authorities have been calling for more money from central government to invest in local road maintenance as local budgets are squeezed.
King added: “On safety grounds alone, we need to see local road investment maintained, but the reality is our residential streets need a massive cash injection. Hopefully the chancellor and prime minister can level up our roads on Thursday.”
Driver feel the pain
A recent survey from the RAC suggests that three in five drivers feel local road conditions have worsened in the last year.
Over 3,000 motorists were polled, with 60% saying local roads had deteriorated. Just 4% felt roads in their area had shown improvement.
The proportion of respondents to the annual survey who believe local roads they use regularly have worsened in the past 12 months increased from 52% in 2020 and 58% in 2021.
Additionally, 86% said they had to steer to avoid potholes often, rising to 90% in rural areas.
Pothole repair was considered “poor” by 55% of those polled.
Only getting worse
Separate RAC figures on breakdowns due to pothole-related damage show drivers are 1.6 times more likely to suffer such an issue than they were in 2006.
RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “Sadly, neither driver’s feelings or the RAC Pothole Index point to any substantial improvement in the quality of our local roads.
“Many describe the repair work – when it’s carried out – as being substandard which more than likely means potholes and surface defects will quickly reappear, costing yet more money to fix.
“This seems to be utter madness and an issue that badly needs addressing if drivers’ views are indeed accurate.”
