Pothole breakdowns doubles from 2017
RAC call-outs attributed to pothole problems hit its third highest quarter since 2006.
For the first quarter of the year, breakdowns triggered by either potholes or poor road surfaces have almost doubled from 1.2 to 2.3%.
Breakdowns due to potholes are usually caused by damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs or distorted wheels. Of the 244,000 RAC call-outs over the quarter, 5,540 were pothole-related.
RAC chief engineer David Bizley said the figures are likely to be even worse for the current quarter after severe weather conditions.
‘The start of the year normally sees the highest number of breakdowns attributable to poor quality road surfaces, but more telling will be how much this drops in the second quarter. Ever since we started analysing these faults, this second quarter figure has dropped sharply as local authorities catch up with repairs to address the worst damage to their roads caused by winter weather,’ said David.
The RAC Pothole Index has now worsened for the fourth quarter in a row – having risen from 2.59 to 2.63.
The RAC is now urging the government to provide more funding to councils for road repairs.
