In the first nine months of 2024, nearly half a million cars have broken down after hitting potholes, with over 50,000 incidents reported just in September.
According to the AA’s Pothole Index, there were 479,656 cases of vehicle damage from potholes between January and September 2024, which is about 10,000 more than in the same period last year. If this trend continues, 2024 could exceed last year’s total of 631,852 breakdowns, the highest in five years.
Heavy rain and flooding have made potholes harder to spot, often hiding them underwater, leading to damage to tyres, wheels, and suspensions. Cyclists are especially at risk, with the AA reporting that 118 have died in pothole-related accidents over the last four years. Earlier this year, the Asphalt Industry Alliance estimated that fixing the UK’s pothole issue could cost up to £16.43 billion, and more than half of the roads in Britain have “less than 15 years of structural life left”.
Before the July General Election, Transport Secretary Louise Haigh promised that Labour would redirect £8.3 billion from the cancelled HS2 high-speed rail project to fix up to a million potholes each year and “provide councils with long-term funding settlements so roads are fixed for the long-term”. However, since the election, there’s been no update on the state of the UK’s roads.
In response, the AA has partnered with organisations like JCB, British Cycling, and the National Motorcyclists Council to create the ‘Pothole Partnership.’ They plan to meet with Future Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood to push for additional funding and guidance for local authorities to tackle these repairs. AA president Edmund King emphasised that road users are “fed up” with the current situation and called for a more permanent solution rather than temporary fixes.
“[The government] has the opportunity to make a step change in the spiral of decline by adopting and advocating measures to permanently fix the problem, rather than the past patchwork approach,” he continued.
With the Autumn Budget approaching, motorists are hoping Chancellor Rachel Reeves will address road maintenance. While the Department for Transport has ruled out a rumoured road pricing scheme, speculation continues about potentially reversing the five pence cut to fuel duty.
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