Nine in ten British motorists say potholes on roads are worse now than a decade ago
As the AA publishes details of a damning poll, Tory MPs urge Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to find some cash and deal with this 'national emergency'
NEARLY NINE in ten motorists claim Britain’s roads are in a worse state than a decade ago.
Tory MPs urged Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to find more money to fix the nation’s potholes as the AA published a damning poll.
The motoring organisation said 88 per cent of drivers say roads are worse now than in 2008 – and demanded 2p a litre of fuel duty be ring-fenced to create a new £1billion pothole fund.
The AA said two-thirds of members claim their roads have “considerably deteriorated” in the past ten years.
And more than half of motorists in Scotland said residential streets were in a poor condition.
Earlier this week Mr Grayling admitted the country hadn’t spent enough on roads since the 1980s.
AA President Edmund King stormed: “The AA postbag is bursting at the seams with drivers and cyclists bemoaning the state of roads across the UK.
“Our potholed roads are in a perilous state.”
“The Transport Secretary has admitted that for over three decades, roads investment hasn’t been up to scratch.
“We urge him to convince the Treasury to allow more funds for roads maintenance in what is fast becoming a national emergency.”
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Mr Grayling unveiled plans to force utility companies to dig up pavements rather than roads in a short-term fix. He said the change was needed because potholes were far more likely to appear on sections of roads that had been recently dug up.
But former Cabinet Minister Rob Halfon last night: “We are living in Pothole Country – motorists and freight drivers and white van men and women are the backbone or our nation.
“It’s time our road infrastructure backed our motorists.”
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