Pothole-related breakdowns have jumped by more than ten per cent, new figures show.
The RAC was called to 2,830 vehicles with faults likely caused by poor quality road surfaces between October and December last year, compared with 2,547 in the same period in 2016.
The firm warned that the condition of many roads is ‘hanging in the balance’.
Potholes can damage a car’s suspension, shock absorbers and wheels
While potholes are a menace to four-wheels vehicles, they are especially dangerous for cyclists and motorbike riders (Stock image)
There is potential for another sharp rise in potholes by the spring if there is a spell of particularly wet or cold weather, it added.
Driving into potholes can cause broken suspension springs, damaged shock absorbers and distorted wheels.
The RAC’s pothole index, based on a 12-month rolling average of breakdown numbers, indicates that road quality has steadily declined over the last year and a half.
Its chief engineer David Bizley believes most drivers will view the figures with concern.
He said: ‘Potholes are a menace for drivers and indeed for all road users. They represent a serious road safety risk and anyone who has driven into one will know it can be a frightening experience, not to say a potentially costly one.
‘For those on two wheels it can be genuinely life-threatening.’
Road quality has steadily declined over the last year and a half, the RAC said
Councils say they do not get enough money from the government, and are often forced to carry out short term fixes rather than properly repair damaged roads
The Local Government Association said on Thursday that motorways and major trunk roads in England are receiving 52 times more government funding per mile than local roads maintained by councils.
The LGA’s findings have fuelled concern among motoring campaigners about the state of local roads.
Councils have come under fire for failing to repair potholes and ignoring complaints from residents.
But they say they claim they are simply not getting enough money from the government, and are often forced to carry out short term fixes rather than properly fixing damaged roads.
Councils are prioritising major roads with the funding they do receive from central government
The LGA says councils need £12 billion repair bill, to carry out more than a decade’s worth of road repairs.
It has urged the government to give local councils an extra £1billion a year to patch up roads by allocating them 2p per litre from fuel duty.
The LGA’s transport spokesman, Martin Tett, said: ‘Councils are fixing a pothole every 19 seconds despite funding pressures. They want to do more but are trapped in an endless cycle of patching up our deteriorating network.’
Local roads make up 98 per cent of the country’s road network, which stretches for a total of almost a quarter of a million miles.
Around two thirds of journeys are also made on local roads, with the remainder on motorways and major A roads.
The Government has rejected criticism from councils arguing that is spending a record £23billion in improving Britain’s road network between 2015 and 2021.
When capsules are added to the asphalt, they allow it to ‘self heal’ which could provide a much cheaper way of filling potholes
It says it is up to councils how they allocate funding, and it is also up to them what repairs are undertaken.
Official figures published last week showed that councils themselves are prioritising major roads with the funding they do receive from central government.
Spending on local roads fell 23 per cent to £1.87billion between 2011 and last year.
But local councils increased spending on the major A roads and motorways they manage by a fifth to £1.43billion over the same period.