August had a surge in pothole related vehicle breakdowns and winter could be worse

The AA has said they received 48,994 callout during the wet weather in August which saw a surge in pothole-related vehicle breakdowns as the water hid the holes on the roads.

This is a 13% rise compared to the same period in 2022 and 2023 is one of the worst years for pothole related breakdowns for vehicles.

The most common damage seen was broken suspension springs, distorted wheels, tyre damage and shock absorbers.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, said: “During what felt like a continuous spell of rain throughout August, drivers faced the now familiar challenge of trying to spot potholes lurking beneath the surface of rainwater.

“Some drivers’ attempts to avoid damage to tyres, suspensions and steering mechanisms appear to have been in vain as we witnessed another year-on-year increase in pothole-related incidents.

“Councils now have a very small window of time to get as much of their repair work carried out as possible before the real autumn and winter weather hits, meaning their road teams will need to work flat out to restore the roads before the weather really turns against them.”

A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: “It’s for local authorities to maintain their highways, based on local needs and priorities, and Government is helping by investing over £5 billion to resurface roads – including an additional £200 million specifically for highway maintenance.

“We’ve also brought in new rules to clamp down on utility companies leaving potholes behind after carrying out street works.”