Government must do more to tackle potholes, say motorists | Motoring Issues - Car News Apr 2015

MOTORING ISSUES
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14:40 Thursday 09 Apr 2015

A new study conducted by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) in the run up to the general election show over two-thirds of motorists feel the next government should tackle the terrible state of the UK’s roads as a matter of priority.

Seventy per cent of those surveyed said reducing the number of potholes on the nation’s roads should be the number one action point for the next administration after a report from the Ashphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) revealed a £12 billion backlog in pothole repairs. The quality of repairs currently being carried on potholes is also being bought into question, after the AIA issued a report at the end of last month saying that the money spent on repairing 2.7 million potholes in the past 12 months had been “wasted”.

Potholes aside, over 64 per cent of those surveyed by the IAM felt more attention needed to be given to the general maintenance of the UK road network.

With Department for Transport figures for the first three quarters of last year showing a slight increase in the number of deaths and serious injuries on UK roads, the IAM found over half of those surveyed felt road safety should also be a key issue in the election.

Neil Greig, IAM director of policy and research, said: “No government can be complacent about these figures and we all need to do more to reduce the numbers killed and injured on our roads.

“Cuts in visible policing and road safety spending have had an impact. While these figures cannot be regarded as a trend, they are a major concern that the new Parliament must address.”

A further 41 per cent of respondents were critical of the current driving test, dismissing it as unfit for purpose and calling for it to be replaced with a test more relevant to modern motoring conditions.

Completing the top five list of motorists’ concerns were sentences for those guilty of serious motoring offences, with 39 per cent wanting stiffer punishments.


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