Britain’s worst potholed roads named

The B6343 near Morpeth and Fieldhead Lane, close to Holme, have been named as the worst pothole-strewn roads in Britain by Warranty Direct’s potholes.co.uk campaign website.
 
The two stretches were highlighted by motorists in an investigation by the website to expose the appalling state of our roads.
 
Although the Government recently injected a welcome £100m into an emergency pothole road maintenance fund, two harsh winters and long-term under-funding means potholes remain one of the biggest gripes among motorists.
 
Northumberland’s B6343 was described as having “a huge array of potholes east of Mitford” by Marra, one website user who nominated it. Meanwhile, Fieldhead Lane in West Yorkshire was summed up as “more like an off-road assault course” by tri4west.
 
The two website users above will each receive a 32” Samsung LCD flat screen TV for their winning submissions.
 
Nearly 90 per cent of nominations were local rather than motorways or A- and B-roads, bolstering Warranty Direct’s call for a long-term strategy for fixing the local road network.
 
Visitors to potholes.co.uk nominated over 80 sections of Britain’s 246,000 mile highway network for the ignominious title.

Judge's Top Five Pothole-Pitted Roads

B6343, near Morpeth, Northumberland, Major road category winner
Fieldhead Lane, close to Holme, West Yorkshire, Minor road category winner
Long Mill Lane, Plaxtol, Kent,
Yattendon Road, Basildon, West Berkshire
Fyfield Road, Amport, Hampshire

With an average repair cost of £335 for damage done by Britain’s crumbling roads, Warranty Direct estimates that drivers could be forking out nearly £3million every day – or £1 billion a year.
 
Duncan McClure Fisher, managing director of Warranty Direct, commented: “To be honest, we could have awarded the honour to tens if not hundreds of stretches of road, but these two particularly stood out for those motorists having to use them daily.
 
“We handle thousands of axle and suspension claims every year involving damage clearly sustained a result of the long-term deterioration of our roads. We welcomed the additional money in the Budget, but it needs to be a springboard in establishing a five or 10-year plan to revitalise our Third World local road network.”
 
For more information, visit potholes.co.uk.