Vehicle breakdowns caused by potholes have more than doubled in a decade, according to motoring group the RAC.

 

It says that around 21,500 of the cars it rescued in the 12 months to June were attributed to poor road condition, with typical damage including broken suspension and distorted wheels. Pothole related breakdowns accounted for nearly 1% of all call outs received. 

 

RAC chief engineer David Bizley said: “Our analysis paints a very disappointing picture which unequivocally confirms what most road users already know, which is that the condition of our local roads has deteriorated drastically over the last decade.

 

“Injections of short term funding have addressed the immediate aftermath of periods of extreme weather but have not been sufficient to tackle the underlying problem.”

 

He added that bold and imaginative action is now required to address the underlying deficiencies in local roads. “While £6Bn has been allocated by the Department for Transport for local road maintenance and development – and further funding is available through the Local Growth Fund – we would like to see local roads given the same priority and treated as a strategic asset.”

 

The Road Surface Treatments Association chief executive Howard Robinson shared the motoring group’s concerns. “The doubling in the number of cars damaged by potholes is proof that the decades of under investment in our local road network is not being addressed. There is a £12Bn backlog of pothole repairs but the funding for local road maintenance is £6Bn for all of 2015-2021. This and the occasional ad hoc funding boost – such as the recent Government’s additional £250M – is simply not enough to address our deteriorating local road network.”

 

The Department for Transport said in a statement: “Well maintained local roads are incredibly important, to deliver better journeys and keep communities across the country moving and connected.

 

“We have committed £6Bn to councils in England over this Parliament to improve local roads and through the Pothole Action Fund we will spend a further £250M over the next five years specifically to tackle the blight of potholes.”