-
Third worst August and third worst summer for pothole
incidents (145,726 from June to August).
-
Unseasonable weather contributed to 48,994
pothole-related incidents during August alone
-
Holiday misery for those who did make it away only to
be faced with a garage bill
-
“2023 heading towards the podium of ‘Worst Year for
Potholes’” says AA head of roads policy
Potholes in rural areas and along holiday roads continued to take
their toll on cars in August. The AA Pothole Index* shows that
related breakdowns were 13% up on August last year.
This is despite large numbers of motorists cancelling day trips,
weekend breaks and even holidays because of the bad weather this
summer. AA research among its members found that 15% cancelled
day trips and 6% gave up on weekend breaks or longer motoring
holidays this summer because of the downpours.
The flip side of this is that rain and surface water will have
hidden potholes and other defects on rural roads. That made it
more likely that visitors on unfamiliar country lanes and minor
roads would have dropped their vehicle in a hole.
As it currently stands, this year’s count of pothole-related
breakdowns attended by AA patrols is already 61% of the way
towards the podium-topping 665,702 annual toll set in 2018. So
far this year, the AA has had to deal with more than 411,000 such
incidents.
Councils in a race against time
While many local roads are still covered in holes, the councils
responsible for them now find themselves in a race against time
to repair as many as possible before the autumnal weather reaches
Britain. Roads authorities lost numerous repair days this summer
due to the wetter conditions, and are now keeping their fingers
crossed for a dry spell to make up for lost time. The warm start
to September could be the calm before the storm as roads
deteriorate once the colder and wetter weather hits.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said; “During what
felt like a continuous spell of rain throughout August, drivers
faced the now familiar challenge of trying to spot potholes
lurking beneath the surface of rainwater. Some driver's attempts
to avoid damage to tyres, suspensions and steering mechanisms
appear to have been in vain as we witnessed another year-on-year
increase in pothole-related incidents.
“Councils now have a very small window of time to get as much of
their repair work carried out as possible before the real autumn
and winter weather hits, meaning their road teams will need to
work flat out to restore the roads before the weather really
turns against them.
“2023 looks set to reach the podium of ‘Worst Year for Potholes’,
but which colour medal remains to be seen. With this year’s
running total of pothole-related breakdowns already at 411,168
compared to previous annual totals of 594,876 (2019) and 637,932
(2017), the current toll looks comfortable for a bronze at least.
An awful autumn could see it make a dash for gold. That’s why,
with the Autumn Statement due in November**, drivers and local
councils alike will be hoping for some more pothole funding.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
* Information is taken from AA breakdown data
** Autumn Statement 2023 date
confirmed - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
