Figures reveal the UK has a pothole every 8 miles on it’s roads
Sound familiar? Research by LV= Road Rescue has shown that the UK has a pothole every eight miles, and more than 31,000 are serious enough to require filling in.
It’s also been revealed that local authorities spent a whopping £1.6million in compensation to drivers who had damaged their cars on the roads last year. 1 in 7 motorists claiming with LV= said they’d damaged their car as a result of driving on poor road surfaces. The most common problems include damage to tyres, suspension, and wheel rims… which costs an average of £267 to get fixed!
But, it turns out this might be a bargain on the part of authorities – as only 53% of drivers questioned knew that they could claim such damage back.
A further £5million was spent on actually filling in potholes in 2014, with the worst affected areas being Blackwater Valley Road in Ash Vale, Surrey, and Page Street in Barnet, north London. There were 31 claims involving Blackwater Valley Road alone and 24 claims from motirists who hit potholes on Page Street.
However, despite this £5million investment, only 6% of drivers said they noticed road surfaces improving, which, given the cost, must be a huge disappointment for those forking out the cash.
Selwyn Fernandes, managing director of LV= Road Rescue, said: “Britain’s pothole epidemic is costing councils millions in compensation, but unfortunately it doesn’t look as though things are improving”.
How good are your local road surfaces – and how good are your council at fixing problem areas?
Photo credit: Geograph.ie
Author Lex Barber
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