MOTORISTS FACE BIGGER HOLE IN THE POCKET FROM GROWING POTHOLE MENACE
Britain’s pothole strewn roads are leaving motorists with an annual bill of £1.2 billion for suspension, steering and wheel repairs – a rise of 16% in just 12 months.
With heavy rain continuing to erode the surface of Britain’s roads, new figures from Halfords Autocentres reveal that more than 8.9 million vehicles have suffered steering or suspension damage as a result of potholes over the past year.
Dangerous potholes reported to hard-up councils have increased by 18% over the past 12 months according to motoring and cycling websites monitoring this issue and estimates from the Asphalt Industry Alliance suggest that the UK’s roads are pitted with as many as 2 million craters.
Rory Carlin from Halfords Autocentres explained: “The surface of our roads is deteriorating to the point where drivers are now likely to encounter a potentially damaging pothole during most journeys - with rain-filled holes being harder to see and avoid.
“In a new car a small pothole can damage wheels, tyres and shock absorbers but with large numbers of drivers keeping their cars for longer and cutting back on routine maintenance older, less well maintained cars are even more vulnerable.”
Rectifying the damage caused by potholes can be unexpectedly costly, with an average repair bill of £140, and insurance companies attribute as many as one in five mechanical vehicle failures to pothole-related damage.
Halfords Autocentres’ figures reveal that some regions had far higher incidences of pothole damage than others - with drivers on the south coast collectively being hit hardest with an £85 million repair bill, closely followed by motorists in Kent and the East Midlands who pay around £78 million and £75 million respectively.
The Government and local authorities are now spending almost £1 billion a year on highway maintenance but, despite repairing more than 2.2 million potholes a year, experts believe that fixing the backlog could take more than 10 years.
Rory Carlin added: “Cutting back on maintenance is a false economy because it increases the risk of damage to a vehicle going unnoticed as well as the likely repair costs to rectify it.
“If you hit a pothole it is always worth getting an expert opinion – even if there are no immediate after-effects such as unexplained noises or wheel damage.”
To find your nearest Halfords Autocentre, find out more about our vehicle inspection services or make a booking online visit www.halfordsautocentres.com
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Media contacts:
Stuart Humphreys, Automotive PR Manager, T: 01527 513410, M: 07738 751930, E: stuart.humphreys@halfords.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
*The cost, frequency and regional variations in reported pothole damage have been calculated by examining the steering and suspension repair work carried out across the Halfords Autocentres network between December 2012 - December 2013 and interpreting this data in line with the business’ share of the total UK repair market.
About Halfords Autocentres
Halfords Autocentres is a leading independent MOT, car service, repair and tyre garage network. We employ highly trained ATA accredited technicians and use the latest in vehicle diagnostic equipment in over 295 sites – which is expanding monthly - to deliver dealership quality work at affordable prices.
Being independent experts means that we are able to service, repair and maintain any make or model of car in line with the manufacturer’s standards, whilst offering a local price match promise and peace of mind in the form of a minimum guarantee of 12 months or 12,000 miles on work carried out. (See website for terms and conditions).
The Halfords Autocentres name may be a recent addition to the Halfords Group, but our heritage spans more than three decades and we serve over 750,000 customers every year - with over 8 out of 10 of them being happy to recommend us to their friends.
