A third of drivers have suffered car damage from potholes as councils cut back spending

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated: 03:58 EST, 31 July 2011

One in three motorists in the UK have suffered car damage as a result of neglected and potholed roads.

As councils slash repair budgets, drivers are paying the price in soaring repair bills. Common problems include wrecked suspensions, damaged shock absorbers and burst tyres.

Wheel rims can cost £150 each and tyres the same while the cost of replacing damaged suspension and steering can run into many hundreds of pounds.

A car approaches potholes in Priory Road, Hull, East Yorkshire, UK.

Potholes are damaging suspensions, shock absorbers, tyres and wheel rims

Many local authorities are currently making severe budget cuts and maintaining roads to 'emergency-only' levels.

A survey by the Institute of Advanced Motorists found that a third of motorists have had to repair damage caused by driving over potholes.

And 15% had been involved in or witnesses a crash caused by a vehicle hitting a pothole.

Neil Greig, of Institute of Advanced Motorists

IAM's Neil Greig: 'The public are unhappy with the state of their roads'

IAM's director of policy and research, Neil Greig, said: 'The public is unhappy with the state of their roads. Eighty per cent of those polled thought councils should work more closely with each other to increase efficiency.'

Roads face further devastation if next winter is harsh, breakdown service Autonational Rescue has warned.

Marketing manager Ronan Hart said: 'They haven't really recovered from the damage done to them by several bad weather spells of recent winters, and dangerous potholes are abound in our towns and cities.

'But because we're still living in times of austerity, many local authorities responsible for maintaining our road infrastructure say they are grossly under-funded and are effectively turning a blind eye to the problem.'

David Kellie, 63, a driver from Surrey, said: 'Who needs "sleeping policemen" to slow down traffic?

'The roads are in such a poor state of repair that most drivers are unable to keep up with speed limits.

'Those on two wheels are in constant danger of being thrown off. We are fed up of hearing about cuts as the motorist is charged more and more at the pumps - where does all that tax and duty go?'

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