Pothole problem deepens
Pothole damage has forced nearly 2.7 million cars off UK roads in the last year.
According to the annual PIT Report for Kwik Fit, 13.1 million drivers suffered damage to their car after hitting a pothole, and of these, one in five had to do without their vehicle for more than a week while it was undergoing repairs.
Meanwhile, 57% of British drivers say they have hit at least one pothole a week over the last 12 months, with the impact causing damage to over 13 million cars. The average repair bill faced by each driver was £127, resulting in a total cost to the nation’s motorists of £1.7bn.
The report also found that more than half of all drivers (51%) say the condition of the roads in their area are worse than 10 years ago, with 39% saying they are significantly worse. Only one in eight (13%) say the roads are in better condition than a decade ago.
Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit, said: “We know councils have huge demands on their budgets, but it is better that they are aware of a pothole as early as possible. The condition of road surfaces only goes in one direction, so the longer a problem is left, the more costly it will be to repair. And obviously, in the meantime, the more damage it will be doing to vehicles and causing problems for drivers whose vehicles are off the road.”
