Pothole plague damages 10,000 cars

POTHOLES caused more than 10,000 motorists to break down last year, a study shows.

It was the highest since 2018 despite lower levels of traffic during the pandemic. The RAC said it attended 10,123 breakdowns in 2021 for broken suspension springs, distorted wheels and damaged shock absorbers caused by potholes.

This was up 10 per cent on the 9,198 in 2019 and nearly a fifth more than the 8,524 in 2020. But as the RAC only controls about 40 per cent of the breakdown market, the number of drivers who breakdown due to potholes is expected to be much higher.

The study came as it emerged ministers have slashed funding for fixing potholes and resurfacing smaller roads by £400million to £1.39billion for this financial year.