14 July 2023
Pothole incidents in June have been at their worst for five years, the AA Pothole Tracker reveals.
Although councils have made great strides in repairing main roads and those in built-up areas, the fear is that cars on holiday trips are now encountering the rural plague of potholes on roads with a lower repair priority.
In June, the AA rescued 46,650 vehicles with damage related to pothole incidents. Tracking back to June 2018 reveals a higher toll of 49,273, and above 50,000 in June 2017.
Ominously, while pothole breakdowns in June averaged 1,555 per day, the first five days of July averaged 1,599 for each.
Edmund King, AA president, said: “Having just taken part in a 1200-mile journey as part of the EV Rally that took us through the five capital cities of the UK and Ireland, the road surfaces in Northern and Republic of Ireland were considerably less potholed than those that we experienced in mainland Britain, including rural roads, of which there are many in Ireland.
“ Holiday drivers need to keep their eyes peeled for potholes and other damage on country roads, which is not easy if rain creates surface water that hides the big ones”
Pothole incidents on rural roads that draw large numbers of holidaymakers can be a nightmare for everyone – the travellers as well as the roadside rescue organisations. Not only is the damage costly to the vehicle owners, but the repairs are seldom simple to fix and, sometimes being off the beaten track, they take time to sort out – particularly with so many cars no longer carrying a spare tyre.
“Holiday drivers need to keep their eyes peeled for potholes and other damage on country roads, which is not easy if rain creates surface water that hides the big ones. These conditions also make riding much more treacherous for those on two wheels where the consequences can be fatal.
“It would be helpful to all if travellers and local residents who spot nasty holes in the road reported them to county councils via the local authorities’ websites, where the ability to report road damage as usual. Failing that, online reporting sites such as www.fixmystreet.com are useful.”