Pothole damage costs 10 times more than UK councils repair budget

Council spending on repairing potholes on the UK’s roads is just a tenth of the estimated cost of the damage caused to vehicles every year, according to data from automotive warranty specialist, Warranty Direct.

The 2007 ALARM survey on highway maintenance and repair, released today by the Asphalt Industry Alliance, states that just £33 million was spent on filling 589,000 potholes in the last 12 months. This compares to an estimated bill of £320 million that motorists are saddled with to repair cars damaged by potholed roads.

“Once again, this report highlights that the balance needs to be addressed for the motorist,” said Duncan McClure Fisher, managing director of Warranty Direct. “The state of the nation’s roads is a growing problem, and one that won’t disappear unless there is a dramatic redirection of funds, and a tightening of maintenance, policed by the councils and the Department for Transport as a whole.”

For those who have suffered an unwanted trip to the garage as a result of a pothole, and would like to pursue their regional council for compensation, new online information and advice source Potholes.co.uk has contact details for every local authority in the UK, and guidelines on how to make a claim.