RAC patrols attended over 10,000 pothole-related breakdowns last year – the equivalent of 27 every single day and the highest annual total since 2018.

RAC patrols attended over 10,000 pothole-related breakdowns last year – the highest annual total since 2018

Members of the breakdown recovery specialist suffered a total of 10,123 breakdowns for broken suspension springs, distorted wheels and damaged shock absorbers throughout last year.

That’s 10% more than in 2019 (9,198) and 19% more than in 2020 (8,524).

Published to coincide with National Pothole Day 2022 tomorrow (15 January), the data also reveals that pothole-related breakdowns accounted for 1.5% of all the RAC’s call-outs in 2021; up from 1.2% in 2020, 1.1% in 2019 and 1.4% in 2018.

The RAC Pothole Index provides further evidence of the UK’s crumbling roads.

This ‘pothole barometer’ analyses pothole-related breakdowns together with the seasonal effects of the weather to give a true long-term indication of the condition of the UK’s roads.

The Index now stands at 1.63, up from 1.48 at the end of September 2021. This means drivers are over one-and-a-half times more likely to break down after hitting a pothole today than they were when the RAC started collecting this data back in 2006.

RAC’s Pothole Index has found that drivers are over one-and-a-half times more likely to break down after hitting a pothole today compared to when the Index started in 2006

Head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “The rot appears to have well and truly set in when it comes to the country’s roads with our patrols going out to vast numbers of drivers who, through no fault of their own, are breaking down because of the wear-and-tear caused by potholes. This is ridiculous because it is almost entirely avoidable if roads were maintained properly. With drivers contributing so much in terms of tax to the Government the very least they deserve are roads that are fit-for-purpose.”

Lyes added that not only can potholes cause thousands of pounds of unnecessary damage to drivers’ vehicles, they can also be a serious road safety hazard for anyone on two wheels.

And worse could be on the cards as the cold weather continues this winter – likely bringing increased problems for drivers by the spring.

“Not getting our roads into a decent shape is simply storing up more problems – and more expense – for the future,” said Lyes

“On National Pothole Day, our message to the Government is clear – it’s time the tide was turned when it comes to potholes and local councils are given the levels of funding they need to get their roads up to a reasonable standard. Clearly, promises of one-off pots of cash from the Government to fix the problem haven’t done the trick and we urgently need some fresh thinking.”

The RAC continues to call for government action to ring-fence a proportion of existing taxation and earmark these funds purely for local roads over a long-term period.

Lyes said such a move “would give councils the financial confidence they need to plan their road maintenance work, and finally break the back on this age-old problem. This is something we know would be popular with drivers.”

Pothole breakdowns – how 2021 compared to previous years