Drivers and garages facing 'pandemic of potholes'
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Elaine Hanson is waiting to hear from the garage about the extent of her car repairs
A 'pandemic of potholes' is affecting Scotland's roads, with half of drivers worried about disrepair, according to an AA report.
The motoring organisation said the main pot-hole breakdowns were for punctures, wheel damage and suspension faults.
Cold weather and heavy rain are thought to be the cause of the problem. Rain-obscured potholes can also prove dangerous for cyclists.
Garages have reported a significant increase in wheel damage by potholes.
Naz Nadeem, from Tyre Warehouse in Darnley, Glasgow said there was an unusual amount of pothole damage in the last few months.
"It's just got completely crazy, we've never seen it like this," he said.
"There's no wear and tear on the tyres, some tyres are brand new.
"We've put new tyres on customers' cars and they come back the next day for another tyre, that is how bad it is."
"It costs the customer a lot of money but it is pulling us away from routine jobs, like MOTs."
'It was a massive bang'
Steven Maxwell heard a massive bang when he rang over a pothole on his way to work on Monday
Steven Maxwell drove over a pothole in the southside of Glasgow on his way to work at 04:30 on Monday.
He said: "It took the drivers' side front and rear tyre out. I realised it was damaged because the lights on my dash were all flashing."
He said his Vauxhall Insignia informed him that the tyres were deflating.
"It was a massive bang, that bang you know it has cost you money," he said.
After pulling into a bus stop and driving slowly to the nearest garage, Mr Maxwell's repairs cost slightly under £200.
"There are at least two or three potholes in a mile when I go to work," he added.
"I haven't spoken to anyone who says I don't have a problem with potholes, they're just everywhere."
'I've blown two tyres'
Elaine Hanson hit a pothole on Tuesday evening, after driving her son to the gym
Elaine Hanson damaged her car driving over a pothole in Paisley, Renfrewshire, on Tuesday evening.
"All of a sudden I hit a pothole on the main Glenburn Road," she said.
"It happened really quickly. It was really dark, I couldn't see it at all because it was so dark and so wet. I've blown two tyres, not just one.
"I had to wait five hours for the AA to collect me so it's been a real inconvenience."
Ms Hanson says she is still waiting to hear whether she only needs to replace tyres or if she also needs to replace her wheels.
An AA survey found 50% of Scottish drivers said their roads were "poor"
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said years of underinvestment meant drivers were seeing more potholes than ever before.
He added: "Step out your front door and you won't have to travel too far to find a pothole.
"It's not just road surfaces that need upgrading. Worn road markings, damaged signs, streetlights no longer working, and overgrown hedgerow covering signs are all too common on UK roads."
Neil Greig, director of policy at motoring group IAM RoadSmart, said if people report a pothole, particularly on a main road, it will be fixed within a couple of days.
He added: "It's important that people do report potholes because that puts pressure on the local authorities.
"They record that incident and if someone has to make a claim it helps if they can get the evidence that pothole was reported on.
"When you're driving around these days, I'm afraid you have to be totally pothole aware, looking out for the clues, often the potholes emerge in the same space again and again."
Glasgow City Council said its road network was inspected on an on-going basis.
A spokesperson said: "We are currently deploying additional resources to deal with the impact of this winter's weather on the roads network and have staff working round the clock to undertake repairs.
"All claims are determined on the individual merits of each and in the context of our road safety inspection and repairs policy."
- Published20 January 2022
- Published13 March 2022
