Insurer fears 'worst ever road conditions'

A major local government insurer has warned that months of rain may have caused ‘some of the worst ever road conditions’.

Zurich Municipal has urged drivers and cyclists to watch out for potholes, which are caused by water leaking into cracks in the road and freezing.

The warning comes after the insurance firm found that more than half of cyclists believe roads are in poor condition and dangerous.

Analysis by the company also revealed that more than 6,500 injuries were sustained on roads and pavements in the past three years, with incidents involving cyclists being thrown off bikes after hitting potholes and pedestrians tripping over tree roots.

These claims cost councils an average of almost £17,000 each.

Zurich UK risk expert Alix Bedford said: ‘More and more people will be keen to get out and enjoy the sunshine now that the weather has started to pick up.

‘However, the last few months of rain will have taken its toll on roads, pathways and cycleways, so people should look out for defects such as potholes and edge failure.

‘A simple trip can cause a pathway user serious injury.’

This story first appeared on localgov.co.uk.