Pothole-related breakdowns ‘soar to five-year excessive attributable to moist July’
The variety of pothole-related breakdowns jumped to a five-year excessive attributable to one of many wettest months of July on file, figures counsel.
The AA stated it obtained 50,079 callouts to automobiles stranded attributable to faults doubtless attributable to potholes final month.
That is up by almost a fifth from 41,790 in July 2022 and is essentially the most for that month since 2018.
Common issues attributable to potholes embrace broken shock absorbers, damaged suspension springs and distorted wheels.
Met Office figures counsel final month was the UK’s sixth wettest July on file.
This would have made potholes more durable to identify for drivers and hindered restore work, in line with the AA.
Jack Cousens, head of roads coverage on the breakdown cowl firm, stated: “July’s rainfall brought about extra complications for drivers with tyres, suspensions and steering mechanisms all being broken because the rain and puddles hid the potholes lurking beneath.
“Councils would’ve been hoping for a dry summer so they could get as much repair work carried out before the real autumn and winter weather hits.
“They will now be underneath extra strain to get their deliberate works accomplished earlier than the climate actually turns in opposition to them.
“With 2023 looking to be one of the worst years on record for pothole damage, we need to see more investment in local roads maintenance funding.
“As properly because the monetary injury to automobiles, presently of 12 months we additionally see extra cyclists and bike riders on the roads, the place the injury can sadly be deadly.”
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The cost of bringing pothole-plagued local roads in England and Wales up to scratch has been estimated at £14bn.
The government increased its Potholes Fund – which provides money to councils in England to tackle the issue – by £200m to £700m for the current financial year.
Shaun Davies, who chairs the Local Government Association, said: “Decades of reductions in funding from central authorities to native highway restore budgets has left councils going through the most important ever annual pothole restore backlog.
“In order to support motorists, the Government should take this opportunity to work with councils to develop a long-term, fully-funded programme to catch up with the backlog.”
A Department for Transport spokesman stated: “It’s for local authorities to maintain their highways.
“To assist them try this we’re investing greater than £5bn from 2020 to 2025, with an additional £200m introduced on the finances in March to resurface roads up and down the nation.
“We’ve also brought in new rules to clamp down on utility companies leaving potholes behind after carrying out street works.”