January 2008

Put potholes on report, urges UK breakdown service

MOTORISTS could avoid a ‘hole’ lot of trouble on Britain’s deteriorating roads, claims one of the country’s leading breakdown services.

Potholes in the road are described as “every motorist's nightmare” by Ronan Hart, marketing manager of Autonational Rescue, but he is urging them to help improve things by reporting problem road surfaces.

He said: "The number of potholes is an indicator of the general poor health of local road networks and drivers shouldn’t simply grin and bear it. They constitute a driving hazard we could well do without, especially for motorcyclists."

Autonational Rescue advises: “Drivers should report any road condition they consider hazardous, for their own sakes and for the benefit of others.

“Local authorities have a clear duty to maintain the highway and should the problem go undetected or unresolved, drivers can then have a claim against the council if injury or damage is suffered as a result of a defect in roads.”

He reveals that although nearly a million potholes were filled in last year in England and Wales, based on current progress, it would take engineers more than 11 years to repair every remaining pothole in the country.

“Drivers being proactive by reporting problems might just speed up the process of repairs,” he said.

Some local authorities have already set up a telephone hotline, with the promise of starting repair work on potholes within twenty-four hours.

“This is a positive and welcome move,” says Autonational Rescue.

Autonational Rescue is the car breakdown service with the no claims bonus, for more information visit www.autonational.co.uk or call 08459 100 345.

Ends

Issued by: CPR Works Ltd
Contact: Roger Eversley/Jenny Carr
Tel: 01902 680068
E-mail: info@cpr.co.uk
Web: www.cpr.co.uk