Motoring organisations have marked National Pothole Day with calls for a cash injection to improve local roads, highlighting new statistics which they said showed the poor quality of the network.
The RAC said on Sunday that its patrols attended nearly a quarter (23%) more breakdowns where potholes were likely to blame in the last three months of 2022 compared to the previous three months.
It said its staff went out to more than 1,800 breakdowns between October and the end of the year for faults such as damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs and distorted wheels. up from 1,462 over the previous three months.
The RAC said this was the highest number of pothole-related breakdowns seen in the fourth quarter of the year since 2019.
The motoring organisation said research for the its latest Report on Motoring found most drivers (55%) rated pothole repairs in their local areas as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’.
Head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: ‘As many drivers will no doubt testify, there are too many occasions where potholes have been poorly patched up by cash-strapped councils which then return all too quickly.
‘It’s frankly absurd that, as a country, we seem unable to get on top of such an age-old problem when roads play such an important role in people’s everyday lives – and are vital to moving goods and businesses delivering services.’
The AA said that in its survey more than half of drivers (53%) in the North West and South East say their residential roads are in poor condition, scoring between zero and four on a scale where zero is ‘terrible’ and ten ‘excellent’.
A similar majority 51% in Eastern England said their residential roads were poor, compared to 42% in London, the area with the lowest dissatisfaction rating.
The AA said it had asked more than 12,000 drivers were asked to rate the condition of local road surfaces where they lived.
Half of Scottish drivers (50%) said their roads were poor, with two fifths (41%) of Welsh streets and 37% of local roads in Northern Ireland considered poor.
The AA said that with local authorities setting their budgets for the coming financial year, it is concerned that they could cut back on road maintenance spending to balance the books elsewhere.
Head of roads policy Jack Cousens said: ‘Years of underinvestment in the nation’s roads means we are seeing more potholes develop than ever before.
‘Most communities will say the main roads are usually in pretty good shape but the minor and residential roads are where the potholes create a menace. Many of these are used for active travel and exercise, such as cycling. Dimmed street lights add to the threat in the dark.
‘It’s not just road surfaces that need upgrading. Worn road markings, damaged signs, streetlights no longer working, and overgrown hedgerow covering signs are all too common on UK roads.’
He added: ‘Safe and maintained streets are vital for everyone, regardless of how they use the roads, and we desperately need to see a massive cash-injection to upgrade local roads.
‘Until that happens, UK roads will continue to crumble and crack into catastrophe.’
