This winter’s cold snap has significantly increased the pothole problem in the UK, with around £13 billion needing to be spent on filling in holes in the road, it has been claimed. According to a survey by the Labour Party, nearly three-quarters of local authorities are cutting their road maintenance budgets due to the current public funding squeeze.
As a result, it is likely that only the more severe road problems will be fixed in the short term, with many holes being ignored, which could potentially do damage to caravans and towcars alike.
Furthermore, 92 per cent of authorities who responded to the survey reported that they had a backlog of road repairs, which they did not currently have the budget to complete.
John Woodcock MP, Labour’s shadow transport minister, said: “Potholes frustrate road users more than anything. Instead of continually patching up knackered road surfaces with a bucket of tar we need a proper strategic plan for local roads.”
