Pothole definition changed in money-saving move
A council in Scotland has redefined the depth of potholes to avoid fixing as many.
Instead of the previously stated 40mm, the Perth and Kinross Council now says potholes have to be 60mm in depth before it will consider repairing them.
It hopes this move will save it £120,000.
However, the RAC does not believe this will save money in the long run. It said, ‘The larger a pothole becomes, the greater risk it represents to road users and the more costly it becomes to repair.
‘Hitting a large pothole has the potential to cause serious problems, from damaged shock absorbers and distorted wheels to broken suspension. In the worst cases, a pothole could cause a driver to lose control of their vehicle.
‘While in the short term the council might save money by repairing only larger potholes, it is saving up an expensive problem for further down the line.’
He added, ‘Potholes are a menace for drivers. The state of local roads was the number one concern of drivers we interviewed for the most recent RAC Report on Motoring, and sadly it looks as though the situation is getting worse in some regions.
‘Last year we saw the number of call-outs likely to be caused by poor road surfaces rise by a quarter compared to 2014, and this is despite 2015 not seeing a particularly harsh winter.
Meanwhile, research from the AA found that 39% of 25,208 drivers surveyed had suffered pothole damage in the last two years.
