A fifth of drivers nationally have reported potholes to their local council but a third say nothing has been done, a survey from motor insurer esure.com found.
One in 10 motorists has reported damage to a car after driving over a pothole in the past three years, with many others probably not realising their vehicle has been affected.
The online insurance firm found '700m worth of repairs nationally over the past three years was due to damage from poorly-maintained roads as councils cut budgets.
Condition
Esure.com said pothole damage to a rear axle or a suspension system can cost up to '1,000 to repair.
The survey of 1,013 adults also revealed that a third believe the state of roads is getting worse and it is the frequently-used residential and country roads which are the most likely to have potholes or be badly maintained. The findings back the annual AA Motoring Trust road report, which found 40 per cent of minor roads are in a worse condition than when the survey started in 1977. The AA also revealed '100m was paid out in successful claims against highway authorities last year because of accidents caused by treacherous road surfaces.
The Asphalt Industry Alliance, which campaigns for more road investment, found north west councils reported an average increase of 121 per cent in visual defects over the previous 10 years and an average increase of 139 per cent in claims against authorities for damage to vehicles or road accidents due to road structural conditions over the past 10 years.
Peter Laidlaw, of the British Motorcycle Federation, said: "There are some roads in particular in Manchester and Oldham where people have died as a result of potholes. A pothole can destabilise a bike much more than a car."
Is there are a troublesome pothole near you? Give the newsdesk a call on 0161 211 2468 or email newsdesk@men-news.co.uk Tweet
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Potholes costing ??42m a year...What about speed humps. You can't honestly tell me they don put as much undue wear and tear on a car as a pothole does. The only difference is its a legal way of restricting a drivers rights.
WHY ARE THE ROADS SO BAD!!
MOTORIST PAY PLENTY IN ROAD TAX. IF THAT DOESN'T COVER IT THEY SHOULD THE MONEY COLLECTED FROM SPEEDING FINES.
Now I know why 4x4's are so popular. It's not to pose or guzzle gas - but to have a car that can cope with all the pot-holes.
Tez, ask the authorities if they care. I have a spinal problem, and even driving slowly over speed humps makes me wince. There are more and more of them on main roads now, and on bus routes. When I'm on a bus that has to drive over them, it can be agony for me. It's also a fact that some speed bumps are causing potholes, due to the impact of the car wheels bearing down continually on the road surface. With everything being done to motorists by local authorities, the message is to get out of your car and walk or cycle. They don't really want to cater for motor vehicles - except for those limousines that town mayors and mayoresses use.
Trust me, until you've driven on Towers Rd in Poynton you've seen nothing!
Perhaps if they filled in the potholes instead of creating mounds/humps it might solve the problem? Twice in recent months I have had to replace the tray cover underneath my car, at a cost of ??80 plus labour, because it split in two. Humps (or more accurately, mountains!!) in question are those outside Cedar Mount High School on Mount Road. While I appreciate slowing to 20mph for the school, I wish it was just during school hours (like in Derbyshire!!) and not need all this unnecessary clutter (signage, humps, etc.).
My son Callum was killed when his scooter hit a pothole. I sincerely hope nobody else has to go through what i am going through
Roseanne, I read about your son in the Tameside Advertiser, and I'm so sorry. I believe that Council workmen were supposed to be rectifying that pothole the same day, and were seen working there! I used to be a moped, then later a motor bike rider, and potholes make things perilous for them. With so much money taken from private road users, you'd expect roads to be kept safe.