Pothole damage soars as RAC reveals number of call-outs from drivers doubles
Breakdown service the RAC says drivers are being left with a huge bill for repairs caused by UK's potholed roads - and the problem is getting worse
The shocking state of Britain's potholed roads has been laid bare as the RAC revealed callouts to damaged cars more than doubled in the first three months of this year.
Its patrols dealt with nearly 9,500 pothole-related breakdowns - typically damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs or distorted wheels - between January and March alone. The figure was over double the number between October and December and almost a fifth more than the same time last year.
The issue of potholes, routinely cited as a major bugbear for motorists and other road users, are likely to on voters' minds in the forthcoming local elections. Potholes are often formed when water freezes and expands after entering cracks in road surfaces.
Research last month from the Asphalt Industry Alliance put the estimated bill for filling all the potholes in England and Wales at a record high of almost £17billion.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously said broken roads 'can risk lives and cost families hundreds if not thousands of pounds on repairs', adding that councils should 'get on with the job' of repairing them.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: 'Our pothole-related breakdown data is a very clear reflection of the true state of the UK's roads, and it sadly shows the pothole plague is as prevalent as ever. Suffering a breakdown due to wear and tear caused by the poor quality of roads is frustrating beyond belief, particularly as the average cost of repairing anything more than a puncture is £460. The cost of motoring is high enough already without having to fork out extra money to get your car back on the road.
'Drivers shouldn't have to bear the brunt of these costs - they're only having to because the roads have been allowed to get into such a dire state. After filling dangerous potholes as permanently as possible, we urge councils to prioritise preventative maintenance such as surface dressing to stop future potholes appearing.'
The number of pothole breakdown in the first three months of 2025 equated to 1.5% of all RAC breakdowns – a big jump on the fourth quarter of 2024 (0.8%) and the first three months of 2024 (1.1%).
Local roads maintenance funding for England provided by the Government for this financial year is nearly £1.6billion - a rise of £500million compared with the previous 12 months. The increase is estimated to be enough to fix around seven million potholes. A quarter of the uplift is being held back until authorities have provided evidence they are using the funding wisely.
Local Government Association transport spokesman Adam Hug said: 'Greater, long-term funding certainty for local highways authorities - with five-yearly funding allocations on a par with National Highways - is needed to tackle the multibillion-pound local roads backlog. This will enable councils to better monitor, plan for and invest in preventative treatments, which keep surfaces in better condition for longer and are cheaper than reactive repairs. The one-year boost to pothole funding confirmed earlier this month is good, and recognition that funding had been inadequate to keep roads maintained.'
A Department for Transport spokesman said: 'This Government is ending the pothole plague on Britain's roads. 'We are investing £1.6billion to help local authorities resurface local roads and fix the equivalent of up to seven million extra potholes over the next financial year. With the average driver forking out nearly £500 to repair serious pothole damage, we know that fixing cratered roads is not just about pride in our communities, but the pound in people's pockets too.
'The public deserves to know how their councils are improving their local roads, which is why they will have to show progress or risk losing a quarter of our record funding boost.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Drivers are only just realising little-known 99p household item can stop car thieves from accessing their vehicle
Car theft is on the increase – here's how to prevent it WHEELY USEFUL Drivers are only just realising little-known 99p household item can stop car thieves from accessing their vehicle MOTORISTS are being urged to use a little-known household item costing less than ONE POUND to stop car thieves stealing their vehicle. It comes as the Office of National Statistics reports there were 133,708 recorded motor vehicle theft offences in England and Wales between April 2023 and March 2024. 1 Car theft is on the rise in the UK This is a 12% increase compared to the same period in 2019-20. While the numbers are lower compared to the early 2000s, the recent increase tracks with the overall increase of crime figures in the UK. But to prevent thieves stealing a car, all drivers need is an inexpensive roll of tinfoil. This can be purchased for as little as 99p at a local supermarket. Driver Lucy Lewis started the tin foil trend after she took to TikTok to share her straightforward hack for preventing thieves from gaining access to her car. "I can't be the only one that goes to sleep with the [car] key wrapped in tinfoil," Lucy said at the start of the video, showing how her key was indeed wrapped in foil. She went on to explain: "I've got a stop start button, whatever, and I've seen loads of videos on Facebook of people's cars getting stolen because they've got that kind of car with the button. "If I wake up and my car is stolen, and I didn't wrap my key in tinfoil, there's gonna be trouble." Lucy then urged other people to say if they do a similar thing. She added: "Please tell me I'm not the only one, because I feel like a psycho and I have to wrap my key – it's like I have to put it to bed and wrap it in tinfoil and it just feels a bit pathetic." Watch as thieves use high-tech trick to swipe Mercedes in under 20 secs - as devices used in 40% of thefts to be BANNED Should you wrap your car key in tin foil? Some security experts have claimed wrapping or covering your car key with metal, such as tin foil, can help prevent cars with start and stop buttons from being key hacked and stolen. Key hacking is when thieves attack built-in systems that can unlock a car when the key is nearby, without having to press a button on the fob or put a key in the lock. To help prevent car and key hacking, RAC recommends getting a car key signal blocker to keep your car key in. They are metal-lined key wallets or special bags designed to keep your keys safe. However, just using tin foil or a metal bin with a lid will also work to prevent the electronic signals from passing through to your car. According to RAC, while tin foil can help prevent the electronic signals from your car key from pass through the metal, it's not the ideal solution seeing as it's usually difficult to recycle. Instead, they recommend using a reusable metal tin or a car signal blocker.
Daily Mail
15 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Should heavier cars be taxed more to cover the cost of fixing potholes they create?
Half of drivers have backed calls for heavier motors - particularly lorries - to pay more road tax that can then be ring-fenced for repairs of pothole they are responsible for causing. Some 48 per cent of drivers think weightier cars should pay more Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) to reflect the greater impact they have on road conditions, according to a study by Kwik Fit. While there are calls for vans and big cars to incur a pothole levy to pay for the much needed improvements to Britain's crater-filled roads, the majority of drivers think operators of HGVs should make the biggest contribution to repairs. Almost three in five of the 2,000 drivers surveyed said that HGVs should pay an additional levy to be set aside for road maintenance budgets, while 44 per cent believe delivery vans should pay an additional tax for the same purpose. This comes after This is Money reported the true cost of Britain's pothole crisis for drivers has risen to £320 - this is the average associated repair bill motorists face, according to figures from road safety charity IAM RoadSmart. Britain's roads are so littered with craters - over one million - that the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) has revealed it will take an estimated £16.78bn to tackle the backlog of repairs, leading the Government to announce new measures to tackle them. While the majority of drivers are all for heavier cars and vehicles paying more to use the roads in order to compensate for the added toll on tarmac, not everyone is in favour. A small number, 17 per cent, disagree that HGV operators should pay an additional levy, while 23 per cent are against vans facing additional charges. One in five (21 per cent) are opposed to heavier cars paying more road tax. And when drivers were asked if they would be happy to cough up more money to improve road surfaces around the UK, the research clearly shows that motorists already feel they are personally paying enough to support our road maintenance budgets. In contrast to a levy on HGVs or vans, only a quarter of drivers would be prepared to pay more 'road tax' to be ring-fenced for road repairs in their local area. Dan Joyce, operations director at Kwik Fit, said: 'Our new research highlights that there are no easy answers as to how this [road maintenance] is funded. Motorists already feel that they are contributing enough so it is understandable that they want the additional burden to be on the heavier vehicles believed to do the most damage to road surfaces. 'Of course, any costs placed on businesses through levies on HGVs or delivery vans are likely to be passed through to the end consumer, so it's critical that potential measures are not looked at in isolation.' Kia's £65,000 EV9, which has a kerb weight of 2,664kg and a maximum load weight 3,240kg Heavier cars are increasing damage to UK roads The AIA in 2024 found that Britain's growing road repair crisis has been fuelled by 'increased average vehicle weights on a deteriorating network'. New cars have been growing at an annual average of 10kg heavier and half a centimetre wider in recent years, also driven by growing demand for SUVs, reports have found. The increase in heavier vehicles and cars was said to be helping push Britain's crumbling roads to 'breaking point'. Just last week the Government announced that millions of drivers will have an updated category B driving licence - by far the most common type held by tens of millions of motorists in the UK - to allow these licence holders to get behind the wheel of heavier vehicles. Drivers can now pilot vehicles with a heavier maximum authorised mass (MAM) of up to 4,250kg, having previously been limited to 3,500kg. However, the new rules apply to electric vehicles only because electric SUVs - which are laden with weighty battery packs to deliver long ranges on a full charge - are now teetering dangerously close to the previous MAM restriction. How much are drivers having to shell out to fix pothole damage to vehicles? This year's ALARM Report from the AIA revealed that the estimated £16.8billion road repair backlog bill has increased by 42 per cent since 2016. Kwik Fit Pothole Impact Tracker published earlier this year highlighted how the cost to drivers has increased during the same period: Motorists are facing higher costs of 150 per cent to repair pothole-caused damage. Last year, the country's drivers paid a total of £1.7billion to repair vehicle damage caused by potholes. And while the IAM RoadSmart data last week put the average repair bill at £320, other drivers are having to stump up three times that to repair or replace damaged wheels, shattered suspension components and broken steering parts. Some five per cent say they paid more than £1,000 getting their motors fixed after driving through a pothole during the 12-month period. The road safety charity said potholes are not just a 'danger to motorists and cyclists alike' but they have become a 'substantial financial burden' on drivers. Our five-step guide to making pothole compensation claims 1. Collect the evidence If you're a motorist looking to make a claim for a repair bill for pothole-related damage, or a cyclist putting in a damage or personal injury claim after hitting one in the road, the first port of call is to make a note of where the pothole is located, the time and date of the incident, and take a photo of the pothole. A pothole needs to be at least 2 inches deep to be deemed a pothole in the eyes of councils. And it's not just the depth and size of the pothole that councils will try to use to refuse paying out compensation. Local authorities may defend a claim if they successfully argue that the pothole was not an obvious hazard - or if they were unaware of it, despite having in place a reasonable system of inspection and repair. To improve your chances of a successful claim, it will help to demonstrate whether the pothole was an obvious danger or not. Where possible, take photos at the scene, just in case the council repairs the pothole before you can return to take them. If you didn't do this at the time of the incident, you can return to the scene to take pictures. You should also take a photos of the damage the pothole has caused to your vehicle (or person, if you have been injured). If possible, take your car to a garage and ask for a mechanic's report in writing for the projected cost to fix the issue caused – or if your motor isn't drivable, phone a reputable repair centre and request a quote. 2. Work out who is to blame To make a claim for compensation, first you need to know who should pay out. If the pothole is on a motorway or main trunk road, the chances are it is a National Highways (formerly Highways England) problem. For local roads, you will need to research which council is responsible. Once you've identified the party you need to contact, request a copy of highway maintenance schedules and number of reported incidents on the particular road for the previous 14 days as evidence that the road hasn't been properly maintained or a reported pothole hasn't been addressed. 3. Make the claim You'll need to issue a formal claim to the local authority or National Highways and most responsible parties will have a template you can request from them. 4. What to do if you do - or don't - get a compensation offer After making the claim, you should be notified if compensation is being granted. Though you can still reject the value of the offer if you believe it isn't sufficient, especially if you have evidence that the pothole had already been reported but the responsible party had not acted to rectify it. If the council refuses compensation, you can seek legal advice or make a case through the courts. However, a word of warning that this could be a time-consuming process and is likely to be worthwhile only if the repair bill is considerable. 5. Final option: Make a claim through your insurance If you have comprehensive cover, you can claim for pothole damage on your insurance policy. However, it's worth considering the cost of the damage as well as your excess payments and if this action will affect your No Claims Bonus.
Metro
a day ago
- Metro
Dartford Charge will go up for drivers - here's how much it rises
The Dartford Crossing charge is set to increase later on this year to help ease congestion, the Department for Transport has announced. The fee, which is paid by motorists driving on the A282 road between Dartford in Kent in the south and Thurrock in Essex in the north, is used to maintain upkeep of the bridge. From September 1, the Dartford Crossing charge will increase from £2.50 to £3.50 for cars, minibuses and motorhomes, while coaches, buses and vans will be charged £4.20 instead of the previous price of £3. The Dartford Crossing charge for lorries and large vehicles with more than two axles will increase from £6 to £8.40. Motorbikes and mopeds can continue to cross for free. The route is the UK's busiest crossing as it sees an average of 150,000 vehicles a day, but it was built for 135,000, National Highways said. On some days, traffic reaches 180,000, and the crossing is no stranger to traffic gridlock and severe delays. Drivers using the crossing, which is made up of the Queen Elizabeth II bridge southbound and two tunnels northbound, have to pay the Dart Charge every time they use it. The Dart Charge has faced criticism from motorists who have been wrongly fined for crossings they never made, including a doctor who was fined 34 times after the ANPR cameras mistook another number plate as hers. Residents have been able to cross as many times as they want for £20 a year, but that will also increase this autumn to £25. Announcing the Dartford Crossing charge increase, junior transport minister, Lilian Greenwood, said the traffic levels are 'well in excess of the crossing's design capacity, causing delays for drivers using the crossing, congestion and journey disruption to drivers on the M25 and a range of knock-on impacts for local communities.' The crossing charges have increased steadily since the four-lane bridge opened in 1991, shortly after the M25 opened. The tunnels, which opened in 1963 and 1980 respectively, originally cost two shillings and sixpence to use. It is thought the charges were intended to be phased out when the construction costs were covered, but the charges have become a permanent fixture. More Trending People in the area have told Metro that when an incident blocks traffic at Dartford, the nearby local roads become mayhem with diverted vehicles navigating narrow roads. One resident said it is not uncommon to see huge lorries clogging up the village roads when Dartford traffic is diverted. In a bid to take pressure off the Dartford, National Highways wants to build a second crossing nearby, the Lower Thames Crossing. The £10 billion Lower Thames Crossing was awarded £590 million in government funding after the project was approved by planners. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: HS2 is delayed again – here's how much it is over budget MORE: Another e-bike brand is set to launch in London this summer MORE: Traffic delays on M25 after multi-vehicle crash
