How bad is the pothole problem right now? A backlog of £18.6 billion, according to the latest figures.
And while the finances sound astronomical, the reality of driving on UK roads is even more jarring.
A recent report stated that nearly half of local roads in the UK are estimated to have less than 15 years of life left, with some already approaching the end of their lifespan.
And yet, despite increased funding, we’re only seeing marginal improvements.
There has been a lot of conversation around potholes recently as increasing amounts of traffic and increasingly heavier vehicles have a real-world impact on local roads in particular.
But what this latest report highlights is that potholes are really just the visible part of a much bigger issue…
The wider condition of the road network is deteriorating as surfaces weaken, with temporary repairs often exacerbating the issue. That’s without mentioning the road safety implications or fading road markings either.
Surfaces are weakening, repairs are often temporary, and in some cases even basic road markings are fading or disappearing altogether.
Pothole related breakdowns are continuing to rise, which has a clear logistical and cost implication for fleets, whether that comes to pass or not, it’s something you have to mitigate for.
Not just in maintenance and downtime, but in the added pressure it puts on drivers to constantly react to changing conditions.
The challenge is that even with more funding now being committed, meaningful change will take time…
