Plague of potholes: Long-term funding settlement essential to local roads maintenance say MPs – AA comments

Commenting on the Transport Select Committees report on the conditions of local roads, Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA says; “Last week eight out of 10 (81%**) drivers told us that potholes on local roads are causing problems, with more than half saying they are causing big problems (52%).

“Local councils have seen their budgets stretched and cut back for several years, and despite a good effort last year, ultimately they are losing the battle on potholes. According to the latest AIA Alarm survey***, residential roads in England are resurfaced once every 99 years – a truly once in a lifetime situation!

“While potholes can be a very costly inconvenience for drivers, they can be tragically fatal for cyclists and motorcyclists.”

Cousens continues; “The only way councils will get on top of the conditions of local roads is with the help of a large scale and continuous funding project.

“Currently it would take a decade to get our local roads back to where they should be, so a fully funded five-year project would go a long way towards smoothing out our streets.”