The number of pothole-related breakdowns jumped by around 10,000 in the space of a year, according to the latest figures from the AA Pothole Index.
Between January and September of this year, the breakdown firm responded to 479,656 incidents caused by vehicles encountering a pothole, far surpassing the total from the same period in 2023. Over 50,000 of these occurred in September, the highest number recorded for this month since 2017.
If callouts continue at the same rate, the 2024 total is also set to surpass the previous year’s figure of 631,852, which was the highest for five years. The main vehicle problems caused by potholes include punctures, wheel damage, and issues with steering and suspension.
The AA warned that drivers have been particularly susceptible to pothole-related incidents over recent weeks due to the adverse weather conditions which have hit the country. Potholes can become filled with water following heavy rain and flooding, making them harder for motorists to spot.
The news follows the annual report from the Asphalt Industry Alliance (ALARM) earlier in the year. The report estimated that it could cost £16.43 billion to fix the UK’s pothole problem, and that over half of the roads in Britain have less than 15 years of structural life left. A separate study also revealed that England’s potholes cost the economy £14.4 billion in economic losses.
Edmund King, president of the AA, says that there is an opportunity to reverse the trend: “The current Government knows that all road users are fed up with potholes and has the opportunity to make a step change in the spiral of decline by adopting and advocating measures to permanently fix the problem rather than the past patchwork approach. It is costing drivers a fortune but tragically costing lives for those on two wheels.”
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