Thursday 7th August 2008

Bad Roads Cause Breakdowns To Soar

Despite huge revenue from car tax our roads continue to crumble

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The number of breakdowns is spiralling out of control thanks to Britain'spotholed roads, according to the RAC. There has reportedly been a 76% rise in damaged tyres and huge increases in chipped windscreens.

Suspension damage is also on the rise as well as the need for underbody repairs. Punctures were the main cause of breakdowns for RAC members last year, resulting in over 200,000 call-outs.

Although four out of five RAC patrols have reported that roadworks in their area are on the rise more than half believe that the poor quality of roads is damaging cars. Iain Vale, the RAC's Patrolman of the Year, believes that road works are not working.

'There seems to be a "sin tax" on motoring and drivers are getting a raw deal. Not only are they feeling the financial pinch, they have to contend with poor quality roads which can cause costly repairs. We are calling on the Government to increase the level of investment to improve the standard of roads to reflect the revenue collected in motoring taxation - providing motorists with the service they deserve and ncontinue to pay for.'

RAC statistics have shown that althouhg £44billion was collected in motoring taxes last year, just £7billion was pumped back into improving roads.

[cowellsj]

"RAC statistics have shown that although £44billion was collected in motoring taxes last year, just £7billion was pumped back into improving roads".

I think this says it all, no wonder people are getting pissed off, they're paying over 6 times what they should be for it.

You wouldn't be happy to pay £5 for a loaf of bread or £2.50 for a pint of milk.

Edited by cowellsj on Thursday 7th August 12:13

[I WISH]

Absolutely! This continues to be scandalous.

It also doesn't help when local authorities resurface (if you can call tar and chippings 'resurfacing') roads that actually don't need it .... yet leave other potholed roads in the same area in a poor state of repair.

But then ... when have local authorities ever done anything that is vaguely logical?

We should do as they do in France and go on strike or set up blockades or something until more investment is forthcoming.

It's not appropriate to spend road taxes on handing out benefits or other government sponsored hair brained schemes .... or paying a fortune to private companies to build PFI hospitals etc etc

Rant over.

[mike-r]

Not surprising. My windscreen was chipped last week actually from debris. A section of road nearby has actually been resurfaced lately, but then 500 yards down the road there's 2 great potholes. They had all the tarmac and st with them at the time but just left em!

To add insult to injury I just got my tax reminder today and it's gone up £5.

[dmz-ecosse]

I started a campaign with the help of the local paper highlighting the disgraceful condition of our local roads. With public support we managed to get some extra cash from the council, only time will tell if it makes a difference

http://www.carlukegazette.co.uk/news/Potted-road-h...

http://www.prodetailing.co.uk/Campaign.htm

[herewego]

Also they collect a lot of money from alcohol and they don't spend it on pubs. Disgraceful.

[Nostrils]

Been screaming for this for over 10years, when pigs can fly then I might expect something to change. Until the government find another way of financing the rest of the country other than stealing from the motorist, then a change would happen, until then, enjoys those pigs in the sky

[Raify]

That certainly rings true where I live in Kent. Shocking roads, which improve markedly when you cross into East Sussex.

By the way, some spellchecking to do:

story said:

Britain'spotholed

Ncontinue

Althouhg

[crankedup]

This is not the only problem either, noticed the amount of roadworkers cones,signs and general equipment that is left in roadside verges long after the work has finished. We had the misfortune earlier this year of hitting one of the 'Men at Work' signs that must have got blown onto the A12 from the verge. Thank goodness we were not on a motorbike! Cost of damage to our car was 400 pounds.

[ypauly]

cowellsj said:

"RAC statistics have shown that although £44billion was collected in motoring taxes last year, just £7billion was pumped back into improving roads".

I think this says it all, no wonder people are getting pissed off, they're paying over 6 times what they should be for it.

You wouldn't be happy to pay £5 for a loaf of bread or £2.50 for a pint of milk.

Edited by cowellsj on Thursday 7th August 12:13

some people on here would be more than happy to pay that for bread providing they get a waitrose carrier bag
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[cowellsj]

I WISH said:

Absolutely! This continues to be scandalous.

It also doesn't help when local authorities resurface (if you can call tar and chippings 'resurfacing') roads that actually don't need it .... yet leave other potholed roads in the same area in a poor state of repair.

But then ... when have local authorities ever done anything that is vaguely logical?

We should do as they do in France and go on strike or set up blockades or something until more investment is forthcoming.

It's not appropriate to spend road taxes on handing out benefits or other government sponsored hair brained schemes .... or paying a fortune to private companies to build PFI hospitals etc etc

Rant over.

No surprise, your local authority probably has a term maintenance contractor to do potholes and general repairs.

As with all contractors, they are only interested in making money, not sorting out problems. They will be charging your local authority what ever they can get away with.

[timewatch]

cowellsj said:

"RAC statistics have shown that although £44billion was collected in motoring taxes last year, just £7billion was pumped back into improving roads".

I think this says it all, no wonder people are getting pissed off, they're paying over 6 times what they should be for it.

You wouldn't be happy to pay £5 for a loaf of bread or £2.50 for a pint of milk.

Edited by cowellsj on Thursday 7th August 12:13

The sad thing cowellsj is that £2.50 & £5 for a loaf of bread is not that far off at current price rises ?

It is the total incompetence of all Government department of transport authorities past and present for the state of UK roads, the surface
laying quality is F'n abysmal when it is eventually carried out too !

It's all about what a Government can Tax & Take from the people and not about what quality of life they could have provided for us all if money was distributed
and spent effectively, I cant think of one single politician one could trust, this is a bad sign for all !

God help us if "Goebbels Milliband" and his New Labour cronies ever get in ????

TW>>>

[White-Noise]

The roads round here are a disgrace, they get far better when you get to France.

[JamesK]

You can bet your life the £7b that was spent "improving roads" actually means stupid traffic calming and pointless diversions too.

The sad reality is that all the while it's cheaper to pay for the claims of the few people who bother to submit them for their damaged cars/wheels then that is what they will do rather than resurface desperately poor roads. The pathetic control over the digging by service providers like gas/water/cableTV doesn't help either - in Essex and East London where I live it is scary how bad the roads are.

Perhaps we need to make people understand how dangerous potholed roads are - maybe then the fluffy kitten protecting CO2 nazi's will think it is an issue.

[markstevens]

JamesK said:

The pathetic control over the digging by service providers like gas/water/cableTV doesn't help either - in Essex and East London where I live it is scary how bad the roads are.

Agreed. They need to force these companies to resurface the entire section of road they dig in. They're making a right mess of some roads in Woking at the moment.

[rsvaprilia]

I am very surprised the roads have gotten this bad as it is a very serious safety issue & this government is always banging on about making the roads safer. It is a shame they don't have a brain cell to work out that badly repaired / maintained roads are dangerous but hey that would mean they would need a degree in engineering not in the arts or law or god forgive a degree in politics.

[Terry Barr]

Back at the end of May I took a car from here to Ireland for the first time since the mid 80s. In those days, when I used to do it fairly often, it was noticable how the road surface got much worse when comeing off the ferry in Northern Ireland from the mainland and then so much worse again when crossing the land border to the Republic. Now it is just the opposite, best in the Republic and worst in mainland UK.

[PPPPPP]

We need a " Mussolini" in charge of roads - it's perhaps the only answer.

Or Riots maybe.

or.........

[urmm]

JamesK said:

You can bet your life the £7b that was spent "improving roads" actually means stupid traffic calming and pointless diversions too.

The sad reality is that all the while it's cheaper to pay for the claims of the few people who bother to submit them for their damaged cars/wheels then that is what they will do rather than resurface desperately poor roads. The pathetic control over the digging by service providers like gas/water/cableTV doesn't help either - in Essex and East London where I live it is scary how bad the roads are.

Too right. Just visited East London and they'd rather put cr*p speedbumps made out of recycled tyres in the middle of the road than improve the the quality of the same road. Driving in london makes me feel sick. It takes ages to get anywhere and on top of that there are speed cameras everywhere.

Permits for cars (parking in front of your own house) has gone up especially visitor permits. My In laws are retired and its a burden on their finances just for my family to visit them. Should i drag my wife and 2 toddlers and all their kit 220 miles on a couple of trains or even worse the Megabus. The car is much more versatile.

Back on topic about breakdowns. I have spent a lot this year on my car on replacing worn suspension components. To add insult to injury one of my suspension arms snapped. Fortunately i was near the car park at work and was doing less than walking speed. Had it been a few minutes earier then it would have been much worse. Even scarier still i made a trip to London with the family just a few days previously.

[drewcole81]

I ahd a blow out last week on the M25 whilst in the middle lane thanks to a pot hole, cost me £150 to get home and new tyres (which needed doing anyway) in the morning.....

This govenment is shocking, when is that fello Guy going to try and blow it up again....

[dazsmith69]

any damage to your car due to improper road surfaces, just sue your local council simple as

the government are fking uselss bds at the best of times bunch of braindead fkwits they are