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AA attended 10,000 more pothole damage breakdowns last
month compared to March 2022
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AA pothole index shows pothole-related incidents up by
almost a quarter since last March 2022
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Catch-up operation could take 11 years and cost £14
billion
The UK’s largest breakdown organisation, the AA, attended an
average of 1,870 pothole-related incidents per day in March. The
AA pothole index reports an astonishing 10,000 pothole damage
breakdown hike compared to 2022*.
The wettest and coldest March in years did nothing to ease the
plight of Britain’s drivers as standing water masked potholes
lurking beneath the surface, resulting in a bumper month for tyre
centres and garages. The average car tyre costs £90 and alloy
wheels are priced at around £250 each, meaning the 1,870 unlucky
motorists who hit potholes each day in March could have faced
£168,300 in new tyre bills alone.
A recent ALARM Survey** also revealed there has been a rise in
the cost of compensation claims for pothole-related incidents –
forcing cash-strapped local authorities to shell out almost £23m
over the last 12 months. To help address the growing problem, the
AA is calling for a more structured approach to planned road
repairs, where Utility companies and councils work together to
plan their maintenance schedules, leading to less disruption for
drivers and better standards in the reinstatement of our road
surfaces.
The number of potholes filled by local authorities dropped to 1.4
million last year, a fall of 300,000 from the year before. On
average, a pothole is filled every 22 seconds at a cost of
£93.7m, but as many of these repairs are reactive, they’re
unlikely to last as long as a planned repair where the damaged
area around the pothole is cut away and evenly refilled.
With a one-time catch-up likely to take up to 11 years, and at a
cost of £14bn, many local authorities have reacted to budget
reductions and an increase in the number of potholes by trialling
innovative new ways of repairing damaged roads, with equipment
like JCB’s PotholePro which
can drastically reduce repair times, meaning cheaper quicker
repairs, less disruption for drivers and less damage to the
environment.
Edmund King, AA president, said: “The current
pothole plague firmly puts the UK on the road to despair. The
rise in the number of pothole-related incidents is the number one
concern for drivers, motorbike riders and cyclists.
Persistent cold and wet weather, coupled with poorly planned
roadworks means problem roads are undoubtedly getting worse and
pothole complaints will not go away until the roads are properly
fixed.
“Our patrols attend up to 20 per cent more pothole-related
breakdowns in heavy rain, as many potholes are covered by
standing water. If a vehicle strikes a pothole, the cost of
wheel, tyre or suspension damage can run into thousands of
pounds, placing further strain on already stretched family
budgets.
“Many modern vehicles do not have a spare wheel, so if potholes
damage the tyre or wheel, it becomes a bigger problem to fix
before you can get on your way. We would encourage drivers to
check they have sufficient breakdown cover in
place to help them deal with the aftermath of a pothole puncture
and also to try to be vigilant to safely avoid potholes.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
*Figures compared to total pothole-related incidents attended by
the AA in March 2022.
** Annual Local Authority Road
Maintenance (ALARM) survey - AIA The Asphalt Industry Alliance
(asphaltuk.org)
JCB Pothole Pro | Wheeled
Excavator | JCB.com
