Potholes ‘will lead to more than just tax costs

Posted 04/02/2010

An increasing number of motorists and road users are set to make compensation claims for personal injury due to the pothole problem currently affecting the UK’s roads.

Research conducted by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) has revealed that around £47 million worth of compensation claims were made as a direct result of damage done to roads because of bad weather in 2009, reports the Independent.

According to the body’s statistics, icy water infiltrating road cracks during the short cold snap last year led to a 30 per cent increase in potholes, leaving road users at increased risk of suffering an accident.

David Weeks, director of the AIA, forecast that the figures this year are likely to be much higher due to the severity of the current winter and called on the government to prioritise road repairs.

He said: “Just go and look at any road and you will see … For too long the network in Britain has been at the bottom of the political agenda.”

The increasing problem of road damage was highlighted last month by maintenance campaign website Potholes.co.uk, which warned drivers that “invisible” water-filled holes in the road can pose a major threat.