Despite lower overall traffic volumes than normal due to the
pandemic RAC patrols went to the rescue of nearly 1,500 drivers
who had more than likely suffered a pothole-related breakdown in
the last three months of 2020.
An analysis of fourth quarter RAC breakdowns* for National
Pothole Day reveals there were 1,461 call-outs for damaged shock
absorbers, broken suspension springs and distorted wheels
reveals, representing nearly 1% (0.9%) of all RAC attendances.
While the pothole proportion of all RAC breakdowns in the last
three months of 2020 is down on the previous quarter, it is
identical to the same period in 2019 and slightly higher than
2018 (0.8%). The RAC finds this concerning given the lower
traffic volumes brought about by coronavirus travel restrictions
as in theory, less traffic should mean less damage to road
surfaces.
Looking across the UK, the South East saw the largest number of
vehicle problems most likely to be caused by potholes at 242 –
equating to 17% of all the pothole-related call-outs dealt with
by the RAC’s expert local patrols. While this could be attributed
to the region being more densely populated, this is unlikely to
be the case for the South West which saw 12% of all the RAC’s
pothole breakdowns (173), almost the same number as the North
West (170).
However, the RAC’s Pothole Index**, which is a long-term
indicator of the health of the UK’s roads available, suggests the
overall standard of road surfaces has been improving since the
start of 2019. Having begun at 1.0 in 2006, the index currently
stands at 1.44 which means drivers are nearly one and a half
times as likely to experience damage caused by a pothole as they
were 15 years ago.
RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “As if 2020 wasn’t
bad enough for other reasons, nearly 1,500 of our members have
also had to endure unwanted, and no doubt expensive, damage to
their vehicles caused by potholes and other road surface defects.
“While the actual number of pothole-related call-outs our patrols
have attended is down significantly compared to the same time in
2019 due to lower traffic volumes in the pandemic, they account
for the same proportion (0.9%) of all RAC rescues which clearly
demonstrates there are still far too many poorly maintained
roads.
“We realise council budgets are under incredible pressure due to
the coronavirus, but we badly need the Government to recognise
the significance of local roads and take a fresh look at how to
fund them.
“The Government’s approach of allocating funding to councils from
various pots on an annual basis means authorities are always
having to play catch-up by fixing potholes rather than focusing
on preventative maintenance. We would prefer to see them make
five-year funding settlements which would allow councils to make
longer-term plans for their roads. This could be funded by
introducing a similar scheme to the National Roads Fund which
ringfences money paid in vehicle excise duty by road users in
England for the upkeep of major roads.
“Putting aside 2p from the existing 58p a litre duty on the sale
of petrol and diesel would generate nearly £5bn of additional
funds for local roads over five years. This would surely help to
bring our local roads back to a fit-for-purpose state.
“The RAC Pothole Index clearly shows that the long-term
degradation of road surfaces, which began in 2008, has now – to
some extent – been arrested, but nevertheless overall road
conditions are precariously balanced on a knife-edge. The fact
the country is experiencing a colder winter than it has done for
several years, coupled with the risk of less investment in local
road maintenance due the pandemic, means that the delicate
balance may sadly end up tipping in the wrong direction.
“We also know from the 2020 RAC Report on Motoring that the
condition and maintenance of local roads is currently the top
overall concern for drivers so there is a real clamour from
drivers for action to fix them. And if the UK is to emerge
strongly from the pandemic and the ensuing recession, good
quality infrastructure is essential.”
To report a pothole, or to find out if you suffer from damage
from one and wonder if you can claim for compensation, visit
the
RAC’s pothole online guide. The RAC has also
published a guide on looking
after cars during the pandemic.
Ends
Notes to Editors
* The RAC provides ‘complete peace of mind’ breakdown cover for
more than 12m private and business drivers. The figures quoted
are based on its individual members who buy policies direct from
the RAC.
** The RAC Pothole Index is a 12-month rolling measure of the
share of pothole fault breakdowns compared to 2006, corrected for
seasonal weather effects and improving longer term vehicle
reliability Data has been collected by the RAC since 2006. Data
excludes punctures.
