Locked down drivers had a pot of bother

PERIL Pothole in road

DRIVERS came a cropper on potholes during lockdown at the same rate as last year – despite traffic levels plummeting by as much as 60 per cent.

The RAC says it rescued 1,766 drivers who hit one from April to June.

That accounted for 1.1% of call-outs – the same as in the same period in 2019.

Damage to shock absorbers, suspension springs and wheels were the main problems.

Nicholas Lyes, from the RAC, said: “We hoped to have seen a far bigger drop in the share of potholerelated breakdowns, but it was just the same as usual.”

The organisation is now calling for a £5billion pothole fund, using 2p out of every 58p in fuel duty, to help councils make local roads “fit for purpose”.