Halfords Group plc : The Return of the Pothole

20 Jan 2012 08:00

The Return of the Pothole

That scourge of UK drivers, the pothole, has returned and is set to cost motorists and councils millions of pounds in repairs.

Complaints over potholes rose by over 50 per cent last month compared with 12 months ago*.Last year it was ice and snow causing havoc with road surfaces, this year it was the torrential rain which hit the country last month making existing craters larger.

Car owners and cyclists report encountering an average of 15 potholes on a typical daily journey compared with 12 last year and 80% believed the condition of carriageways had worsened in the past two months, according to a survey carried out for Halfords.

Councils around the UK made a strenuous effort this summer to repair blighted roads after being given an extra £100m by the Government when an estimated 1.4 million potholes were filled in. But recent rain storms with downpours 75% above normal for December in many parts of the UK have undone much of the work, while cuts to road maintenance budgets as councils struggle to balance their books could spell more trouble for road users.

Leading independent garage network Halfords Autocentres, extrapolating from its own repair data, estimates 3.6 million vehicles have experienced steering and suspension problems and 2.2 million needed work to correct wheel alignment in the past 12 months at a cost of £536m.
Councils last year paid out in excess of £50 million in compensation to motorists whose vehicles had been damaged by holes in the roads.

Rory Carlin from Halfords Autocentres said: "We are hearing from our customers that potholes are well and truly back and in some areas are now a serious road hazard.

"They damage vehicles, inconvenience drivers and jeopardise safety on the roads as drivers swerve around them or focus too much concentration on trying to locate and avoid them.

"They cause serious wheel alignment and suspension problems as well damaging wheels and tyres which is costing already struggling motorists dearly."

The Government has ordered a review of the way potholes are dealt with and will report at a major conference on the state of the UK highways in March.

The Asphalt Industry Alliance say the problem has dramatically worsened over the past two years. It claims the number of potholes in England and Wales reaching more than one million for the first time in 2010, and nearly two million in 2011.

National cyclists' organisation CTC urges road users to report holes and hazards to local councils via a web site .

The CTC, meanwhile, says carriageway defects can discourage people from cycling and it knows of two cases where potholes contributed to the death of cyclists.

Campaigns director Roger Geffen, said: "We know councils have limited resources but potholes and road defects are more than just a nuisance; they're a danger to cyclists and other road users. It's not just the busiest routes but also side roads where cyclists are more likely to encounter problems."

For more information contact:

Nicola Toulson
t:01527513464
e: [e-mail]

The Group is the UK's leading retailer of automotive, leisure and cycling products and through Halfords Autocentres is also the UK's leading independent car servicing and repair operator.

Halfords employs approximately 11,000 staff and sells over 12,000 different product lines with significant ranges in car parts, cycles, in-car technology, child seats, roof boxes, outdoor leisure and camping equipment. Halfords own brands include the in-store Bikehut department, for cycles and cycling accessories, Apollo and Carrera cycles and exclusive UK distribution rights of the premium ranged Boardman cycles and accessories. In outdoor leisure, we sell a premium range of camping equipment, branded URBAN Escape. Halfords offers customers expert advice and a fitting service called "wefit" for car parts, child seats, satellite navigation and in-car entertainment systems, and a "werepair" service for cycles

Halfords customers shop at 466 stores in the UK and ROI and at Halfords.com for direct home delivery or pick-up at their local store. Halfords Autocentres operates from 227 sites nationally and offers motorists dealership quality MOTs, repairs and car servicing at more affordable prices.