£5 BILLION is needed to fight the pothole plague as tens of thousands more could endanger drivers, cyclists and pedestrians if the government fails to act
- Analysis warns 1000s more potholes could endanger drivers, cyclist and walkers
- The research said there could be 650,000 unrepaired craters in roads by 2030
- Calls for Chancellor Rishi Sunak to find extra £5billion for repairs & maintenance
There could be tens of thousands more potholes endangering drivers, cyclists and walkers if the Government fails to invest in roads, an analysis predicted yesterday.
It said there will be 650,000 unrepaired craters in roads by 2030 unless Chancellor Rishi Sunak finds the extra £5billion for repairs and maintenance that were pledged in the party’s election manifesto.
The result will be increasing difficulty in keeping traffic running as well as dangers to road users, the report by economic consultancy Cebr and insurers Zurich UK said. The estimates piled pressure on the Government to meet its expensive manifesto pledge to ‘launch the biggest ever pothole-filling programme’.
There could be tens of thousands more potholes endangering drivers, cyclists and walkers if the Government fails to invest in roads, an analysis predicted yesterday (File image)
Yesterday’s report said that growing numbers of potholes risk damage to cars, dangerous manoeuvres by drivers trying to avoid them, and high chances of injury for cyclists and walkers. Based on RAC figures which counted 561,000 potholes across the UK last year, it said that if the £500million a year pledged in the Tory manifesto is found, numbers will reduce to 413,000 by 2030. However, it suggested there will be a 16 per cent increase to 651,000 without the cash.
Ron Penman of Zurich UK said the pothole problem ‘has been getting worse simply because government funding and council resources have not been sufficient enough to cope with the magnitude of the issue.’