The majority of UK motorists think the Government is failing to do an adequate job in terms of the upkeep of the country’s roads, a new survey has revealed.
According to a study by the Institute of Advanced Motorists, (IAM) 67 per cent of drivers think that the Government is doing a "bad" or a "very bad" job of dealing with the increasing amount of potholes on UK roads. Spending cuts and tightening budgets for road maintenance have been cited as the main reasons people believe that the UK’s roads are suffering.
The rising number of potholes could be a blessing in disguise for independent garages and mechanics - as more cars experience tyre or suspension damage because of the shoddy surfaces, there could be a notable increase in business. It is important to remember in such incidences that companies need to ensure their motor trade insurance covers any peaks in activity, including the number of vehicles and staff they have on site.
In IAM’s research, more than half of motorists (52 per cent) thought that local councils were doing a "bad" or "very bad" job of looking after local roads, 15 per cent less than the number who expressed their dissatisfaction with the national Government. A speculative 34 per cent pointed the finger at spending cuts, although 60 per cent said they were unaware of whether or not budgets have been reduced.
Simon Best, chief executive of the IAM, said: “Despite the Government’s pothole review, there is a high level of dissatisfaction with the efforts of authorities to keep our roads safe and smooth drive or ride on.
“The Government need to convince motorists that they have a real cure for the pothole pandemic. This can only be achieved through clear communication on new policies, more sharing of resources, sustained long-term funding and a continued commitment to eradicating the maintenance backlog of crumbling British roads.”
