Pothole hell... the 1,400 cars damaged each day

Scotland is the worst place in the UK for dangerously poor roads

HALF A MILLION drivers in Scotland have had to pay sizeable repair bills in the last year after damaging their cars in potholes.

According to research by Kwik Fit, 1,400 Scottish motorists a day suffered damage to their cars totalling £56.7million as a result of bad roads.

Drivers were forced to pay out for problems including burst tyres and faulty suspension as it was revealed Scotland is the worst place in the UK for the problem.

The figures come as a survey released by the AA today shows 46 per cent of its Scottish members have had damage to their cars from potholes in the past two years.

According to the research from Kwik Fit, the average cost of the damage suffered by Scottish drivers was £109.02, while one in seven faced a bill in excess of £250.

Of the AA members who reported damage, 37 per cent only suffered damage to their tyres.

Some 16 per cent had damage to tyres and wheel; 28 per cent had damage to their tyres, wheel and tracking; and 16 per cent had suspension damage. A further 4 per cent said they also had to have their car’s paintwork patched up.

The survey found that potholes had also led to crashes on 24 occasions in the past two years across the UK.

Among AA members, Scotland was by far the worst place in the UK for pothole damage.

London drivers had the fewest incidents, with only 32 per cent suffering vehicle damage.

Yesterday, it emerged that Perth and Kinross Council is changing its definition of potholes from 40mm (1.5in) to 60mm (2.4in) before it will fill them in. The story struck a

‘Should be named

and shamed’

chord with one 42-year old reader, who did not wish to be named, who drove over a 9in-deep, 7ft-long pothole in the region.

The i ncident two years ago resulted in the destruction of his alloy wheels, burst tyres, damaged suspension and steering.

He said: ‘When I called the council to tell them about the pothole, they said: “Oh we already know about that”. My insurer then had to fight them to get them to admit that there was a pothole there.

‘After my incident, I watched a motorcyclist come off his bike in the same spot, and a work van had its front tyre exploded.

‘I’m just really annoyed about what Perth and Kinross Council are doing. My car was off the road for nearly nine weeks.

‘I think the council should be named and shamed.’

Eben Wilson, of Taxpayer-Scotland, said: ‘Holes in roads – just like slow dustbin collections – drive taxpayers mad.

‘Our money is being spent too often on useless projects and initiatives. We would like it to be spent on basic essential services like filling in potholes.’

AA president Edmund King said: ‘Local authorities need to get to grips with fundamental road maintenance such as fixing crumbling and pothole-ridden surfaces.’

Roger Griggs, a spokesman for Kwik Fit, said: ‘Dealing with pothole damage hits drivers hard in their wallets, but it also has a hidden cost as it can take drivers time to get repairs done, affecting either business productivity or eating into their leisure time.’

A spokesman for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities said councils set their own budgets for roads dependent on need and circumstance.

Perth and Kinross Council said individual insurance claims were a matter for their insurers.