Potholes are leaving a hole in the wallet
Posted by Tom Benjamin
Britain's roads are still full of potholes months after winter and now the number of potholes is starting to have an impact on the wallets of motorists in the UK.
A recent survey from the road safety charity Institute of Advanced Motorists has revealed that a third of drivers have had their vehicles damaged by potholes and a further 16 per cent have been involved in or seen an accident caused by a pothole.
Insurance claims are on the increase, with is leading to motorists paying excesses to have their suspension and wheels repaired after doing battle with one of the many potholes on the UK's roads.
Now is the time for councils to dig deep and repair the roads, according to 88 per cent of respondents who claimed road maintenance should be the top priority of local authorities.
IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig said that the survey shows the British driving public is unhappy with the state of the roads, but many realise public spending cuts are an issue.
"Eighty per cent of those polled thought that local councils should work more closely together to increase efficiency, and with no loosening of the public purse strings in sight it will take partnerships to ensure the backlog in road maintenance does not continue to stack up," he explained.
Motorists are being left dumfounded by the lack of spending on the roads, particularly as the tax charged at the pumps is increasing. Many are asking, "where does that money go?".
Overall, roads in Wales are in the best condition, with 27 per cent of respondents to the survey describing the condition of the road network as good.
The B6343 near Morpeth and Fieldhead Lane, close to Holme, are two roads motorists should avoid if possible as they were named as the worst pothole-strewn roads in Britain by potholes.co.uk.
Keeping foliage and grass cut back to preserve visibility and annual surface dressing of worn-out roads were the second and third most important maintenance factors highlighted by motorists.
