Gone to pot: Our roads can be atrocious… it’s time to fight back

Brace yourself. As Britain celebrates National Pothole Day this Sunday, car experts warn that the three months from January to March are the worst of the year for an increasing number of potholes in our crumbling roads as compensation claims rise.

A combination of the rather freezing winter weather and a lack of adequate maintenance means that motorists and other road users are risking pothole damage to their cars, avoidable accidents and even – for the most unlucky road users – their lives.

However, although a third of motorists don’t realize it, you may be eligible for compensation from your council or road agency if you can prove that they knew about a pothole before your accident, but ignored it.

They are already paying out millions as claims mount.

Sorry state

The AA said it was attending a further 225 breakdowns a day in November caused by potholes – highlighting recent coroner’s reports that identified two cyclists killed after hitting different parts of the country.

Admiral auto insurance says the first three months of the year are the worst for potholes.

The most recent data shows that the number of claims has increased by 67 percent in the five years since 2016, with 931 claims in 2022. The average cost of repairing pothole damage has also increased by 16 percent since 2021.

The company says the frigid December could see even more cracks in Britain’s roads, following the aftermath of 2018’s ‘Beast from the East’, when falling temperatures caused potholes to increase by 102 per cent.

Admiral explained, “Driving over a deep pothole, even at low speed, can damage tires, alloy wheels, steering alignment, wheel tracking and balancing, and suspension.

“When the steering is severely damaged, it can also make it difficult for the driver to control the vehicle, which can increase the risk of accidents.”

Admiral’s head of claims, Lorna Connelly, said: ‘Over the past seven years we have seen an average of over 700 pothole-related claims per year.

In years with extreme cold snaps, we always see an increase. In 2018, when we had the Beast from the East, that amounted to over 1,000 claims.”

She added: ‘Keep sharp and slow down – swerving can be more dangerous!

“If you think you’ve hit a humdinger, get out and check for damage at the safest opportunity.”

Test the water

Consumer magazine What Car? last year revealed that UK councils and road authorities paid nearly £13 million in pothole compensation between 2018 and 2021.

Their Freedom of Information requests (FOI) revealed that motorists in England, Scotland and Wales had made more than 145,000 claims – of which 37,366 were paid – with a success rate of just one in four, but an average successful claim of £347. Yet one in three motorists do not know that they can claim compensation.

You can check who is responsible for a pothole by entering the postcode on the official website: gov.uk/report-pothole.

RAC research shows that six in ten drivers (60 per cent) believe the road conditions they regularly use are worse than a year ago, while a similar proportion (55 per cent) complain that the level of road repairs pits is ‘bad’. Only one in 25 (4 percent) think the roads have improved in the past 12 months.

Nearly nine in ten (86 percent) drivers say they had to steer several times to avoid potholes, rising to 90 percent in rural areas (81 percent in urban areas).

According to the RAC’s Pothole Index, drivers are 1.6 times more likely to break down as a result of a pothole than in 2006.

RAC Head of Roads, Nicholas Lyes, said: ‘The local road network needs some form of ring-fenced funding to enable councils to maintain their roads properly and regularly.’

Wait nine years

The Asphalt Industry Alliance’s annual ALARM survey calculates that a total of £12.6 billion in roadway repairs is needed in the UK – or £61,700 for every mile of local road in England and Wales – and that it would take councils nine years to clear the backlog.

This is despite the fact that 1.7 million potholes will be filled by 2021 – one every 19 seconds.

But maybe help is at hand. British manufacturer JCB’s massive Pothole Pro machine has repaired more than 23,000 miles of roads, taking orders as far as Australia.

In the UK, the number of holes the Pothole Pro has filled in the last 12 months with what it calls ‘a quick but long lasting fix’ is 562 in the UK’s original ‘Motor City’ – Coventry.

The Pothole Pro has also been busy nationwide: Stoke-on-Trent (549); Cumbria (5,007); Northumberland (3,191); Wales (1742); Highlands (4,964); West Sussex (2,699); Scottish Borders (2012); North Lanarkshire (1,093) and Fife (1,741).

And while traditional repair methods can cost up to £60 per hole, the giant JCB machine can permanently repair a hole in eight minutes at half the cost at £30.

Why garages need a quick solution

Car repair costs will rise — compounding the pain of cash-strapped motorists — the auto industry watchdog warned.

A poll of independent garages and franchised dealerships by the Motor Ombudsman (TheMotor Ombudsman.org ) found that rising costs, taxes and utility bills will be the biggest challenge for nine out of ten businesses in 2023.

‘Try factor’: Rising cost of parts means car repairs will become more expensive

Nearly two-thirds said they expect drivers to delay essential repairs because of tight incomes.

Six out of 10 garages said the rising cost of replacement parts – due to shortages and inflation – would be another “testing factor” during the year.

Just under half said they will try to prevent higher operating costs from being passed on to prices charged to customers “because of the difficult economic climate”.

The report said: ‘As consumers continue to curb their spending due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, nearly a third of respondents said retaining customers this year would be a challenge.

After a difficult 2022, the report noted: ‘With economic forecasts pointing to a downturn in the UK, 29 per cent of garages and workshops explained that generating new customers in 2023 could be equally difficult’.

Bill Fennell, managing director of The Motor Ombudsman, said: ‘Garages and workshops will face a host of challenges this year.

“At the forefront of this will be navigating a rise in operating costs at a time when many consumers are feeling the strain on their finances, meaning vehicle maintenance and repairs may take a back seat.”