In response to alarming figures from the AA revealing a five-year high in pothole-related vehicle damage, TyreSafe proudly announces its support for the newly-formed Pothole Partnership. This coalition, including the AA, National Motorcyclists Council, British Cycling, IAM RoadSmart, the British Motorcyclists Federation, and JCB, is committed to addressing the escalating pothole epidemic.

In 2023, the AA handled 632,000 incidents of tyre, wheel, steering, and suspension damage caused by potholes, signifying a substantial impact on approximately 2 million vehicles nationwide due to inadequate road maintenance. This marks a 16.39% increase compared to the 2022 figure of 543,000 incidents.  Last year pothole damage to vehicles cost a staggering £474,000,000, according to new AA figures.

A report from the Local Government Association in August 2023 revealed a 50% reduction in spending on non-motorway road maintenance since 2006. An AA analysis in 2018 disclosed that in 2017, 545 vehicles were involved in injury crashes attributed to road surface conditions, with bicycles and motorcycles accounting for 45% of those incidents.

While the Pothole Partnership appreciates additional funding, including the £8.3 billion from HS2, there is a call for ring-fencing these funds, increasing early-year expenditures, and ensuring more effective utilisation. The partnership emphasises the importance of addressing road issues beyond mere patching, advocating for comprehensive resurfacing solutions.

Craig Carey-Clinch, Executive Director, National Motorcyclists Council, said: “The situation is becoming ever more acute for motorcyclists and the issue is a top-ranking concern among riders. Potholes and other road surface related defects are already shown to be extremely dangerous for motorcycle riders. The same pothole that damages a car, could prove fatal to a rider. The pothole hazard is heightened if potholes fill with water in poor weather, or they are encountered at night. Action is needed now to urgently clear the backlog of repairs. The NMC fully supports the Pothole Partnership and urges the Government to front load the £8.3billion that has been announced. The problem is now, not in seven- or nine-years time.”

TyreSafe Chair, Stuart Lovatt, said “Potholes not only jeopardise road safety but also pose a significant threat to tyre integrity. We stand united with the Pothole Partnership’s five-point plan, urging for permanent repairs, precise adherence to repair standards, accelerated funding, ringfencing for road maintenance, and full transparency on repair backlogs. Together, we strive for safer roads and preserved tyre integrity.”

Now the newly-formed Pothole Partnership has unveiled a new five-point plan to help tackle the issue. The Partnership’s Pothole pledge is being sent to central and local government today:

The Pothole Five Point Plan

Permanent: Local authorities to limit the practice of temporary pothole repairs or patches and, where possible, every pothole or patch to be repaired permanently.  

Precise: All local authorities / contractors to adhere to UK-wide repair and inspection standards, and report annually on the repairs undertaken.

Price: Government to demonstrate greater urgency by accelerating and increasing spending of the £8.3bn pothole funding for England in the first three years – with total clarity on the distribution to local authorities. 

Provision: Central and local government to guarantee ringfencing of ALL road maintenance funding to help deliver innovations that enable permanent repairs.

Progress: Full transparency from local authorities on their roads repair backlog, categorised by potholes, patching works and road resurfacing.

TyreSafe’s support is cemented by their recently established partnership with two of the organisations in the coalition – the NMC and IAMRoadSmart. The charity continues to extend its network of road safety partnerships in a bid to further amplify the tyre safety message.