Claims: IAM Roadsmart Calls for Ring-Fencing on Pothole Repair Funds

One of the most common claims for damage to cars and vans is for damage caused by potholes. As the repair of UK roads has become neglected in the last few years more road users on two wheels have also suffered accidents and this is leading to an increase in personal injury claims.

IAM RoadSmart has backed calls for a long-term plan to tackle the ‘national scandal’ of potholes on UK roads – saying nearly half of people it surveyed have experienced pothole damage to their vehicles.

The government’s Transport Select Committee has issued a report stating that the current short-term approach to financing road maintenance as being “not fit for purpose” – which IAM RoadSmart, the UK’s biggest independent road safety charity, agrees with.

The report says: “Potholes are a headache for everyone and a severe risk for many, says the report. A deteriorating local road network undermines local economic performance and results in direct costs to taxpayers, either through rising costs of deferred work or through a mend and make do approach that does not represent good value for money in the long-term.

“It also damages vehicles and causes injuries to passengers, particularly those with existing medical conditions,” it added.

A previous survey of more than 7,000 IAM RoadSmart members responded on line with a clear majority thinking that our roads have become much worse in recent years, that there are many more potholes than ever before, and that they have to swerve to avoid potholes on every journey.

Some 47% – over 3,400 respondents – say they have experienced damage to their car, commercial vehicle, motorbike or bicycle or personal injury as a result of hitting a pothole.

Around 90% have spotted a deterioration of some level in the roads they use with just over 50% rating the state of their roads as ‘much worse’ in the past three years and 38% rating them ‘worse.’

An Asphalt Industry Alliance investigation found that councils in England and Wales would need to spend a total of £9.8 billion over 10 years to bring all their roads up to standard.

Rodney Kumar, IAM RoadSmart spokesman, said: “While we understand that local government funding has been cut, the effect of pothole damage to beleaguered British motorists is huge. It costs them a fortune, stops them getting to work and has a detrimental effect on the economy.

“It really is time to ring-fence funds for tackling this pothole epidemic, and get the problem sorted once and for all.”