Think potholes are bad? You’d be right... they’re 3 miles deep!
SCOTLAND’S roads are pitted with thousands of potholes – with a combined depth of almost three miles.
More than 111,000 potholes were reported to Scottish councils in just one year, costing taxpayers millions in repairs and compensation payouts.
Combining all the potholes in Scotland would equal a depth of 2.7 miles, 20 times deeper than Loch Ness and more than 25 times that of the English Channel.
Data obtained by insurance firm Confused.com found that Fife has the worst pothole problem in Scotland, with 21,920 incidents reported over the space of a year.
The figures, which cover 2017-18, also revealed a list for repair bills running into millions of pounds. Councils also forked out almost £300,000 in compensation to drivers for pothole damage.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: ‘While they are a hassle and frustration to drivers, potholes can be fatal to cyclists and motorcyclists.
‘Although budgets are tight, more investment is needed to improve the condition of the road network, especially local roads where the majority of journeys start and finish.’
Glasgow City Council recorded 20,172 pothole complaints, East Renfrewshire noted 13,470, while Perth and Kinross and East Ayrshire recorded 11,174 and 5,953 respectively.
The figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, found that Fife had spent £1,008,486 on pothole repairs, while Glasgow’s bill was £1,057,845.
East Renfrewshire Council spent £480,939 patching up its roads, while Perth and Kinross
‘Fatal to cyclists and bikers’
spent £687,000 and East Ayrshire £597,736.
A spokesman for local government body Cosla said authorities were coping with a near 15 per cent reduction in road spending.
He added: ‘Scotland’s councils have done a very good job in delivering essential services for their communities in light of increased demand for services.’ Amanda Stretton, motoring editor at Confused.com, said: ‘Reclaiming for pothole damage can be confusing.
‘Many don’t know if it’s best to claim from your insurer or the council.’