The wettest and coldest March in years exacerbated the UK’s pothole crisis further, hiking up the number of pothole damage breakdowns.
Data from Great British Fleet Event partner the AA reveals it attended an average of 1,870 pothole-related incidents per day in March – up by almost a quarter since last March 2022.
A recent ALARM survey revealed the number of potholes filled by local authorities dropped to 1.4 million last year, a fall of 300,000 from the year before. On average, a pothole is filled every 22 seconds at a cost of £93.7m, but as many of these repairs are reactive, they’re unlikely to last as long as a planned repair where the damaged area around the pothole is cut away and evenly refilled.
The research also uncovered a rise in the cost of compensation claims for pothole-related incidents – forcing local authorities to shell out almost £23m over the last 12 months.
The AA is calling for a more structured approach to planned road repairs, where Utility companies and councils work together to plan their maintenance schedules, leading to less disruption for drivers and better standards in the reinstatement of our road surfaces.
Edmund King, AA president, said: “Persistent cold and wet weather, coupled with poorly planned roadworks means problem roads are undoubtedly getting worse and pothole complaints will not go away until the roads are properly fixed.
“Our patrols attend up to 20% more pothole-related breakdowns in heavy rain, as many potholes are covered by standing water. If a vehicle strikes a pothole, the cost of wheel, tyre or suspension damage can run into thousands of pounds, placing further strain on already stretched family budgets.”
With a one-time catch-up likely to take up to 11 years, and at a cost of £14bn, many local authorities have reacted to budget reductions and an increase in the number of potholes by trialling innovative new ways of repairing damaged roads. This includes equipment such as JCB’s PotholePro, which can drastically reduce repair times, meaning cheaper quicker repairs, less disruption for drivers and less damage to the environment.
