One in six reported vehicle breakdowns on England’s major A-roads and motorways were tyre-related during the first weekend of the summer getaway in 2023. 

Tyre problems were responsible for one in six breakdowns on England’s major A-roads and motorways over the first weekend of the summer getaway

New data from National Highways shows that its traffic officers attended a total of 756 reported breakdowns across the country, with 124 of those related to tyres over Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 July 2023.

Separate data from last year shows that between June and August 2022, there were almost 12,000 reported tyre-related breakdowns across England’s motorway and major A-road network. High levels were particularly seen in the North West region, which recorded 2,195 tyre-related breakdowns, closely followed by the West Midlands, which totalled 1,974.

With the summer getaway now officially under way, motorists are once again being reminded to have a safe ‘T.R.I.P.’ and follow the new National Highways vehicle checklist to help them reach their destination safely.

National Highways’ on-road team manager Tony Phipps said: “The new T.R.I.P. acronym is a really great way for people to remember some of the basic vehicle checks they should carry out before setting off and if fuel levels are starting to run low, our advice is to leave our network either at a motorway service area or nearby filling station and top-up before continuing.

“We’re also calling on motorists to plan regular rest stops because we know that long journeys can be tiring. We’d advise people to plan breaks on their journey and factor these into the route. It’s a good opportunity to get out of the vehicle and maybe grab a coffee and some fresh air for around 15 minutes to help ward off the effects of fatigue before carrying on with the journey.”

UK roads put to shame by rest of Europe, say drivers

New RAC Europe research shows an overwhelming majority of UK drivers think the roads they’ve driven on in other European countries put the UK’s potholed-plagued streets to shame.

Up to 72% of drivers who have experience of driving abroad think the condition of roads – such as the number and severity of potholes – is worse in the UK than in other countries, with just 8% saying the UK fares better.

Meanwhile, more than six in 10 (62%) say roadside litter is less of a problem abroad than it is this side of the Channel compared to the tiny 7% who think the UK roads are the cleanest.

In fact, the only area where the UK scores better is when it comes to clarity of road signage – with 38% of drivers saying they find this more straightforward at home than abroad. Nearly half (49%), however,  believe there is little or no difference and 13% say they find foreign road signs clearer.

On the issue of motorway driving speeds, around half (53%) of drivers said they see little difference in the number of people driving excessively fast whether they are at home or abroad, but a third (32%) still said the problem was less prevalent in other countries.

And while half (51%) said they can’t tell the difference between the standard of driving of UK drivers and their counterparts elsewhere in Europe, 28% still felt foreign motorists drive better – compared to a fifth (21%) who think UK motorists do.

Overall, four in 10 drivers felt the experience of driving abroad is better abroad than it is in the UK, with only a quarter (24%) saying they prefer getting behind the wheel this side of the Channel.

RAC Europe spokesperson Rod Dennis: “This research is utterly damning when it comes to the state of many of our nation’s roads when we compare them to the pristine ribbons of asphalt that can be found just across the Channel.

“We’ve said for years that given the amount drivers pay in tax, it’s verging on the ridiculous that they have to endure no end of potholes when driving at home. It’s clear from what drivers have told us they seem to forget all about potholes once they’ve left the UK, with unanimous agreement that foreign roads are simply better.”