One pothole for every mile of road in Britain

There is now one pothole for every mile of road in Great Britain, according to official data sourced by car breakdown and recovery company Britannia Rescue following a Freedom of Information Act request.

And just like everything else in the UK, it would seem we can blame the weather, with experts suggesting that the combination of a harsh winter and a dry summer has exacerbated the problem.

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The result is a 79% increase in compensation claims, with UK councils receiving 32,000 reimbursement requests in the past financial year. The claims cover everything from ruined alloy wheels and punctured tyres, to damaged suspension parts.

In total, £2.5 million was paid out by local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland, with over £350,000 attributable to Lincolnshire County Council alone.

And if you’re looking for the worst roads in the country, King Lane in Leeds, South Moor Road/South Moor Lane in Barnsley and Holly Lane in Banstead are considered to contain the most potholes. Probably best you take a diversion to avoid these.

The potholes are part of the age-old vicious circle. Road maintenance is severely under-funded, which means potholes are either left untreated or a small temporary repair is carried out.

Which simply results in traffic delays, irate drivers and the same problem appearing in a matter of months. Nearly 10% of motorists claim to have been affected by a pothole during the past 12 months alone.

Until our roads are given the makeover they truly need, potholes will remain a constant menace to motorists.

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By motoringresearch.com