Breakdown woes
Motorists in trouble as roadside breakdowns hit five-year high
THE number of vehicles breaking down on England’s motorway and major-road network reached a five-year high in the last financial year. Highways England recorded 224,225 breakdowns in 2018/19, up from a figure of 189,256 in 2014/15.
Figures released to Auto Express show that breakdowns were up a fifth in the last two years, and increased 14.8 per cent in 2018/19 compared to 2017/18.
It comes as the average age of cars in the UK has increased from 7.8 years in 2015 to 8.2 years in 2018, and is up from 6.8 years of age in 2003. Traffic volumes have increased just 0.2 per cent in 2018 compared to 2017, showing that the rise in breakdowns is due to ageing vehicles, rather than a greater volume of traffic.
Highways England is responsible for 4,300 miles of the country’s motorways and A roads. While the organisation’s network makes up just two per cent of England’s roads, it carries a third of the traffic.
Some 16 per cent of breakdowns occurred on Fridays in 2018/19, while 13.46 per cent took place on Sundays, making these the busiest and least busy days for breakdowns – which is a stable trend over the last five years.
July and August were the busiest months for breakdowns in 2018/19, with 21,759 and 21,000 incidents recorded respectively. In the previous year, more cars broke down in March than in any other month.
The motorways with the biggest number of breakdowns are the busiest by traffic volume, with the M1 witnessing 14.3 per cent of all breakdowns in the last financial year. Highways England’s 15 busiest roads saw 81 per cent of all the recorded breakdowns.
Highways England highlighted that the figures relate only to breakdowns it was involved in or had awareness of. The agency also said “almost half of all breakdowns are caused by mechanical problems which could be avoided with simple checks, and nearly a quarter are caused by tyre problems.” Highways England advises drivers to check their tyres, screenwash and oil levels before setting out on long journeys, and also to ensure all lights are working. The agency also stressed the importance of drivers ensuring they have enough fuel for their journeys.
This point was reiterated by RAC Breakdown spokesperson Simon Williams, who said a lot of breakdowns are “entirely avoidable” if cars are maintained properly.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, added: “With more stretches of all lane running motorways, drivers will want to avoid the prospect of stopping in a live lane.”
“Highways England’s 15 busiest roads accounted for 81 per cent of breakdowns”