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Potholes reach tipping point as bills soar

By / 7 years ago / Latest News / 1 Comment

Councils have warned that 2017 could become the tipping point for potholes.

potholes

New analysis indicates the repair bill for potholes could reach £14bn within two years.

New analysis indicates the repair bill could reach £14bn within two years – more than three times councils’ entire annual revenue spending on highways and transport (£4.4bn).

The figures from the Asphalt Industry Alliance’s (AIA) annual ALARM survey show the overall repair figure is fast growing – up from £9.8bn in 2012 and £11.8bn last year.

Meanwhile, the pothole repair time has surged from an estimated 10.9 years in 2006 to 14 years in 2016. In response, the Local Government Association (LGA) is calling for the Government to inject a further £1bn a year into roads maintenance.

It adds that this could be achieved by investing 2p per litre from current fuel duty – not from an increase in fuel duty rates.

Cllr Martin Tett, LGA Transport spokesman, said: “Our roads crisis is only going to get worse unless we address it as a national priority. The Government’s own traffic projections predict a potential increase in local traffic of up to 55% by 2040. Councils desperately need long-term and consistent funding to invest in the resurfacing projects which our road network desperately needs over the next decade.

“Motorists pay billions to the Treasury each year in fuel duty when they fill up their car at the pumps only to then have to drive on roads that are decaying after decades of underfunding. They deserve roads fit for the 21st century.”

RAC roads policy spokesman Nick Lyes added: “This analysis provides a stark reminder of the dire state of the UK’s local road network and ominously shows that things look set to get worse over the coming years unless urgent action is taken. The RAC’s Pothole Index revealed that the number of pothole-related breakdowns attended by our patrols doubled between 2006 and 2016, leaving motorists with a large repair bill.

“We would urge the Government to take a long-term, strategic approach to tackling this crisis, which provides local authorities with greater funding certainty so they can undertake the necessary maintenance and preventative action.”

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Natalie Middleton

Natalie has worked as a fleet journalist for over 20 years, previously as assistant editor on the former Company Car magazine before joining Fleet World in 2006. Prior to this, she worked on a range of B2B titles, including Insurance Age and Insurance Day.