Thousands of drivers left with big repair bills after hot summer weather makes UK's potholes worse
The AA had more than 50,000 calls last month from drivers with vehicles damaged by the craters.
2
It said high temperatures had broken up already weak roads by softening the bitumen in asphalt, making surfaces more susceptible to deformation.
Worn tyres are also more likely to fail in heat, while warmer weather has seen a rise in tourists using poorly maintained rural roads.
Potholes can cause broken suspension springs, distorted wheels and damaged shock absorbers.
The average repair bill for anything more than a puncture was £460, figures show.
AA president Edmund King said: 'This summer's heatwave has starkly exposed the fragility of Britain's roads.
'We urge the Government and local authorities to redouble their efforts in tackling the pothole crisis, prioritising rural routes and frequently used cycling and motorcycling corridors.'
Sir Keir Starmer has called on councils to 'get on with the job' of mending the menaces.
The cost of bringing local roads across England and Wales up to scratch has been estimated at a record £16.8billion.
Local roads maintenance funding for this financial year is nearly £1.6billion, up £500million on the previous year.
It is estimated to be enough to fix around seven million potholes.
2
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
17 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Local people tackle wildfires across southern Europe
People in villages and towns across Europe have been trying to prevent wildfires spreading as intense heat across swathes of the continent stretches firefighting resources thin
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Wales prepares for another heatwave as 'cool spaces' set up
Communities in Wales are setting up "cool spaces" to help people cope with the heat as they prepare for a second blast of hot weather this are set to reach 29C in Cardiff going into the weekend, after highs of 32.8C in the city on means some parts of Wales are set to experience their fourth heatwave of the year, although it will be cooler in north Wales and by the coast. On Thursday Natural Resources Wales declared drought conditions in south east Wales following the driest six-month period in Water said there were no plans for restrictions to be placed on the use of water, however it urged people to take precautions in the heat. At Caldicot's TogetherWorks community centre in Monmouthshire, manager Isla Arendell is trying to encourage people to use the centre as a "cool space" where they can meet others away from the confined warmth in their homes."I suppose it's come off from the warm space during the winter, we're looking at perhaps being sort of like a cool space where people can come in, chill, we've got a lovely community garden people can sit in," she said. More than 100 electric fans have been donated and given out at the centre, which Ms Arendell said had proved "very popular". John Hubbard, 72, who was attending the men's breakfast club on the site, said he has tried hard to keep his home cool. "It's sort of counter to what we normally do in this country, but closing the windows, even if it's really hot, is the thing to do," he said."Unfortunately, our best rooms are our lounge and our bedroom face south, so we get the full blast of the sun."Tony Knight, 81, added: "I like the hot weather as long as it's not too hot. I go out every day for a walk, but if it's too hot I walk around the supermarkets and it's nice." Residents of care homes often have less choice about where they can go to keep Pen-Y-Bont Care home in Abertillery, Blaenau Gwent, staff member Luke Griffiths said the team tried to keep communal spaces cool with air conditioning, and focused on making sure residents stay hydrated. "We think ahead, we do monitor our residents' fluid intake, we set fluid targets for each resident, we encourage regular breaks for our staff members as well and we ensure the ventilation is correct in the building," he said. John Greenland, 65, is a resident at the home and said he struggled in the warm said: "I don't like it. If I'm hot I try and cool down a bit. I have a lot of drinks. I get very hot and I sweat like anything."Martha Lowman, 80, said she did not enjoy seeing predictions of high temperatures on the weather said: "I like to keep in the shade and drink plenty of fluids. It's exhausting really. It's quite unusual for us to have such hot weather."When I lived in Australia, it was normal out there but this is not normal for us." While linking climate change with specific individual extreme weather events can be difficult, scientists say climate change is generally making heatwaves hotter, longer and more to BBC weather forecaster and meteorologist Sabrina Lee, we may have to get used to this sort of weather more said: "We expect our summers to be hotter and drier. When we get heatwaves, they're expected to become more frequent and intense and there's going to be more concerns in the future when it comes to wildfires and droughts."She added we may need to alter how we carry out tasks that we have previously taken for granted."I think the tone of my forecasts will become more serious. We expect to have to adapt in future years, so our daily routines may have to be changed."For example, when we take the dog for a walk, or if you're an outdoor worker, you have to tweak your schedule to avoid some of that heat."For those planning to be outside in the warm weekend weather, Celyn-Mai Clement, 23, from St John Ambulance Cymru, is advising people to keep hydrated and wear a hat and sunglasses to avoid eye damage. "We advise that you cover up using loose light clothing but the best advice is to use sunscreen," she said. On Thursday, environment watchdog Natural Resources Wales said it had recorded the driest six-month period since the drought of 1976. As a result, the threshold has been met to put south east Wales in to drought status."The lack of significant rainfall has taken its toll on the environment, and we are receiving reports of low flows and dry riverbeds in some locations, low groundwater levels as well as reports of fish in distress and algal blooms," said Rhian Thomas, of NRW. "Catchments in south east Wales have been particularly impacted, with rivers receiving very little rainfall in recent months, and the Usk and Wye recording persistently high river temperatures which can threaten fish populations."However, a spokesperson for Welsh Water said there was currently no shortage of drinking water. "We have no concerns about reservoir levels across our operating area, with most at levels close to what we would expect at this time of year," they said. "We are managing the extra demand associated with the dry weather in terms of preserving storage within our network service reservoirs, but at this stage we have no plans to introduce any temporary use bans."
Auto Blog
4 hours ago
- Auto Blog
Chevy's Next Van Could Be a Rebadged Hyundai Staria 'Spaceship'
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. General Motors might be about to replace its aging Express and Savana vans with something straight out of a sci-fi sketchbook. According to reports, Chevy's next light commercial vehicle could be a rebadged Hyundai Staria — the futuristic van currently sold in Asia and Europe. The move comes as GM deepens its product-sharing alliance with Hyundai, with five co-developed vehicles planned by 2028. It's a surprising turn for a brand more often associated with full-size pickups, muscle cars like the rumoured 1,000-horsepower Camaro ZL1 crossover, and giant EV trucks, but it could breathe life into a commercial lineup that's been stuck way back into the early 2000's. 1 / 2 Zoom In Launch Gallery A GM-Hyundai Partnership With Range Under the deal, Hyundai will provide the basic platform and drivetrain technology, while GM handles exterior design tweaks and the all-important Chevrolet badging. The Staria's space-age looks — tall beltline, wraparound glass, and cab-forward stance — would be a shock to traditional van buyers, but GM sees opportunity in offering something distinctive to fleets and small businesses. Hyundai has electric and hybrid versions ready, and an American-market Staria could sit alongside Chevy's other EV projects, including the record-setting Silverado EV, which recently covered more than 1,000 miles without charging. 1 / 2 Zoom In Launch Gallery From Spaceship to Showroom If it arrives in North America, the van could be built domestically starting in 2028, with passenger and cargo configurations aimed at both retail buyers and commercial operators. Hyundai's global Staria lineup includes all-electric PBV (purpose-built vehicle) variants and efficient turbo-hybrids — powertrains that would give Chevy a modern edge in a segment dominated by boxy, thirsty rivals. For Chevrolet, which still sells one of the cheapest cars in America alongside high-end sports cars, this sort of versatility is part of a broader strategy to cover more of the market without huge in-house development costs. 1 / 2 Zoom In Launch Gallery A Bold Bet on Style and Substance Whether American van buyers are ready for something that looks more like a Star Trek shuttle than a cargo hauler remains to be seen. Yet the move is somewhat sensible: GM gets a fresh, efficient, and safety-tech-packed product years sooner than it could develop one from scratch. For Hyundai, it's a way to push more volume through its PBV platform while reaching markets where it has little van presence. If Chevy can combine Hyundai's engineering with a price point and dealer network that makes sense, the 'spaceship van' might just succeed in a segment that rarely makes headlines. About the Author Max Taylor View Profile
