If you've recently got in your car and hit the road, I reckon you'll drive for a maximum of five minutes before coming across a pothole.
According to the RAC, the UK is thought to have more than one million potholes, causing a 33% increase in car breakdowns in 2023 compared to 2022.
This is a nightmare for the driver, who is trying to avoid lasting and expensive damage to their car in a time of financial uncertainty (unless you've got car maintenance).
In this blog, we'll dive into potholes in the UK, discussing why there are so many, what you can do to avoid them, and what's being done to prevent them.
We talk about:
According to the Oxford Dictionary, a pothole is a depression or hollow in a road surface caused by wear or sinking. Essentially, it's damage to a road surface that makes it challenging to drive on.
It's no secret that roads in the UK are full of potholes, but why are there so many? The main reason is because of the climate.
The UK has a very varied climate. In the winter, it gets cold and wet, which is a recipe for disaster. The water can seep into cracks in the road and then freeze, which causes it to expand and crack further.
Other reasons include:
- Heavy traffic and heavy vehicles - In the UK, roads are used a lot by both normal and heavy-duty vehicles, which causes significant wear and tear.
- Poor road maintenance - Local councils deal with road maintenance in the UK, but with tight budgets in recent years, many councils have been cutting investment in road maintenance.
- Poor construction - Inadequate road construction using poor materials can contribute to potholes. If roads are not built to withstand heavy traffic, they will deteriorate at a rapid rate.
As expected, the areas that suffer the worst are those with heavy traffic. Drive through cities such as London, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, and Cardiff, and it won’t take too long before you come across a pothole.
Also, regions with more extreme weather, like Scotland and Northern Wales, are more susceptible to poor road conditions.
But in general, it depends on the local authority. If they are in a good financial state, potholes will be filled at a decent rate. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for most councils across the UK.
According to statistics from an FOI request in 2023, Derbyshire was the worst region with 90,000 potholes. This was followed by Lancashire with 67,000 and Northumberland with 51,000.
If you've ever hit a pothole without slowing down, you certainly feel it. All you can do is drive on and hope your car is all okay. However, sometimes the worst happens, and potholes get the best of your car.
It's important you know what damage can be caused by potholes, including:
- Tyre and wheel damage - Tyres are the most susceptible to damage from potholes, suffering issues like punctures and tread separation. Potholes can also cause damage to wheel rims, including cracks and fractures.
- Suspension - Potholes can cause damage to your suspension, including misalignment if it's been hit out of place.
- Body scrapes - If you've got a low-sitting car, potholes can scrape your bumper or side skirts. Usually, it's just a scrape, but sometimes, it can cause serious issues with your bodywork.
As stated above, potholes can cause a range of problems for your vehicle, which can be extremely costly. According to RAC garage data from December 2023, drivers can pay up to £460 to repair their car after hitting a pothole.
If you've got a maintenance contract with Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, don't worry, repairs will be covered. Breakdown assistance (dependent upon the finance provider), tyre repair, and mechanical repairs due to fair wear and tear are included.
For more information, check out our Vehicle Maintenance guide.
If you don't have a maintenance contract, there are a few things you can do:
- Check for damage - If you think a pothole has caused damage, pull over safely and look for any visible signs of damage. If you see any damage or the steering wheel doesn't feel right, get your car checked by a mechanic.
- Take notes - If you want to make a claim, you'll need information to back it up. Jot down information on the exact location of the pothole and take a photo of the damage.
- Report it - Potholes are the bane of motoring in the UK, and the quicker we get rid, the better. You can report potholes to the correct authority by using the government's report a pothole service.
- Repair - If your car is damaged, you must get it repaired. Shop around at local garages for the best price to ensure you're not getting ripped off.
- Make a pothole claim - You may be able to claim compensation for any repairs to your car. You'll need to write to the council responsible for the road and include all your details, such as quotes, invoices, and receipts.
It's the government's responsibility to manage road maintenance in the UK. They allocate significant funding every year to help tackle potholes and road maintenance.
This is typically announced during the Spring or Autumn Budget by the Chancellor.
Back at the start of March, Jeremy Hunt confirmed £4.7 billion in long-term funding to support local transport, in addition to the £8.3 billion investment in local roads to fill millions of potholes and resurface roads.
For more information, check out the most recent Spring Budget announcement.
We can only hope that this is where the money goes, as our major roads desperately need it.
There's no denying that the UK is facing a pothole crisis. They've increased drastically in the last few years and can cause lasting and expensive damage to your vehicle, up to a whopping £460.
If struck by a pothole, we'd recommend remembering details and keeping invoices and receipts from mechanics, as this can be used to report it to the correct authority.
Although the government is working towards a solution, real-time changes are yet to be seen. I hope for the sanity of all drivers that these changes happen sooner rather than later.
Looking for more motoring advice? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts produces a range of leasing guides to keep you in the loop, such as Winter Car Care and Tyre Types and Classifications.
We are also one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers, offering a range of leasing deals to suit your every need. For more information, check out our affordable leasing deals or call us on 0345 811 9595.
