Councils are being urged to commit more funding to filling potholes.
Potholes are a cause of much concern for motorists up and down the country – and it seems more commitment is needed in order to address the problem.
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) is calling on councils to commit more long-term funding to assist efforts to rid the UK's roads of these holes, which can not only damage cars, but are also a cause of accidents as drivers swerve to avoid them.
A year on from the Pothole Review, the IAM has carried out new research in which it surveyed local highway authorities to see the progress being made with regard to the implementation of the review's recommendations.
It was discovered that new policies are being put into action by councils – and these authorities are also being a lot more forthcoming when providing information about when potholes are filled in and how they intend to do it.
The IAM study revealed that 47 per cent of councils have published a report providing details of their road repair policies, with 85 per cent having clear definitions of what constitutes a pothole.
Simon Best, chief executive of the IAM – an independent road safety charity with more than 50 years of experience – noted that while it is still too early to herald the Pothole Review a success, there are signs to suggest it is having a positive effect.
He stated: "Communication with drivers and riders has improved and permanent repairs are now being used in place of constant patching.
"The building blocks are in place, but the fact that complaints still seem to be rising means they have a real challenge on their hands."
With grievances remaining high, the IAM is also worried about a lack of long-term budgets in many councils. Mr Best explained that while there is now clearer guidance regarding what a pothole actually is, "without consistent funding many will still go unrepaired, storing up even more long-term damage for the future".
Posted by Emma Grange