Drivers Are Tired of Pothole Jigsaw: A Road Rant
What’s going on? A fresh RAC survey shows that as many as one in three motorists are now flying a little coiled‑tail to dodge the bad, bad black‑squares dotting our paths. In short, the roads are in worse shape now than they were last year.
Key Take‑aways from the Survey
- 2,583 UK drivers polled – 44% say conditions have degraded.
- Estimated overhaul cost: a staggering £14 billion for England and Wales.
- RAC’s chief policy officer, Simon Williams, points out that the culprit is “long‑term under‑funding” plus “moisture + freezing”, creating a perfect storm.
The Politics of Pothole Fixing
RAC’s Williams argues that the only way to put an end to the pothole crisis is to give local councils steady money so they can plan a full maintenance program—including resurfacing roads that can no longer be patched. He’s calling for the government to set aside a small pension—2p per litre of fuel revenue over a five‑year period—to fund those essential road repairs.
Darren Rodwell from the Local Government Association adds that councils share the same frustrations as everyday commuters. He’s on the lookout for a five‑year funding drop for local highways, a leap in stability and roughly £8.3 billion earmarked in the upcoming autumn statement. The department‑of‑transport says that redirecting HS2 money is the trick to freeing up that much budget, on top of the “near £1 billion” the government already pours into road maintenance.
What This Means for Driver’s Buckets
Between enough potholes to be a major hazard and an expensive repair cost, the reality is that drivers—who contribute billions in taxes—don’t have to keep paying the dues for dodging a prankster road. The public’s ride stops being a cost‑effective, patented adventure.
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