Hole Lot Of Trouble Going On - How Potholes Are Hitting The UK's Transport Fleets Hard

Potholes on a road in Banbury, UK.

It will come as no surprise to anyone who is out on the road on a day-to-day basis - but councils in England have today admitted that they don't have enough money to fix the potholes that are blighting the country's highways. 


Last Winter's bad weather once more created millions of dangerous craters on our roads. Councils say they have increased spending to deal with it and the Department of Transport has pledged £3 billion to fill in the mess.


But even this isn't enough. 

The Local Government Association (LGA) told the BBC that they would face a "huge struggle" to repair holes after the coldest December in 100 years.

Potholes form when water seeps into road cracks and freezes, breaking up the tarmac. The association estimated councils had filled in more than two million potholes following the winter of 2009-10 and faced a similar task this year. 


The problem has huge implications for the transport industry, not least because councils are increasingly facing compensation claims from road users who are affected by badly damaged roads. 


One council, Hampshire County Council, admitted to the BBC that payouts for damage to vehicles caused by potholes almost doubled in a year. The authority paid out about £111,000 in 2009/10 - compared to about £60,000 the year before.

If you are a fleet manager worried about the damage bad roads are causing your vehicles, telematics can play a vital role in monitoring the problem - and making claims. 


Detailed 'snail trails' of vehicle's routes and timings along with readings on harsh-breaking patterns and speeds can be used to build up a comprehensive picture of how a vehicle's progress has been disrupted by potholes. 


Contact us to find out more about how iBox technology's mates can help you chart the damage potholes cause your vehicles.