Should heavier cars be taxed more to cover the cost of fixing potholes they create?
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Half of drivers have backed calls for heavier motors - particularly lorries - to pay more road tax that can then be ring-fenced for repairs of pothole they are responsible for causing.
Some 48 per cent of drivers think weightier cars should pay more Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) to reflect the greater impact they have on road conditions, according to a study by Kwik Fit.
While there are calls for vans and big cars to incur a pothole levy to pay for the much needed improvements to Britain's crater-filled roads, the majority of drivers think operators of HGVs should make the biggest contribution to repairs.
Almost three in five of the 2,000 drivers surveyed said that HGVs should pay an additional levy to be set aside for road maintenance budgets, while 44 per cent believe delivery vans should pay an additional tax for the same purpose.
This comes after This is Money reported the true cost of Britain's pothole crisis for drivers has risen to £320 - this is the average associated repair bill motorists face, according to figures from road safety charity IAM RoadSmart.
Britain's roads are so littered with craters - over one million - that the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) has revealed it will take an estimated £16.78bn to tackle the backlog of repairs, leading the Government to announce new measures to tackle them.
56% of the 2,000 drivers surveyed said that HGVs should pay an additional levy ring-fenced for road surface repairs, while 44% believe delivery vans should pay an additional levy for the same purpose
While the majority of drivers are all for heavier cars and vehicles paying more to use the roads in order to compensate for the added toll on tarmac, not everyone is in favour.
A small number, 17 per cent, disagree that HGV operators should pay an additional levy, while 23 per cent are against vans facing additional charges. One in five (21 per cent) are opposed to heavier cars paying more road tax.
And when drivers were asked if they would be happy to cough up more money to improve road surfaces around the UK, the research clearly shows that motorists already feel they are personally paying enough to support our road maintenance budgets.
In contrast to a levy on HGVs or vans, only a quarter of drivers would be prepared to pay more ‘road tax’ to be ring-fenced for road repairs in their local area.
Dan Joyce, operations director at Kwik Fit, said: 'Our new research highlights that there are no easy answers as to how this [road maintenance] is funded. Motorists already feel that they are contributing enough so it is understandable that they want the additional burden to be on the heavier vehicles believed to do the most damage to road surfaces.
'Of course, any costs placed on businesses through levies on HGVs or delivery vans are likely to be passed through to the end consumer, so it’s critical that potential measures are not looked at in isolation.'
Three quarters of respondents to KwikFit's survey said the number of potholes on UK roads is an embarrassment for one of the world's leading economies
Kia's £65,000 EV9, which has a kerb weight of 2,664kg and a maximum load weight 3,240kg
The AIA in 2024 found that Britain's growing road repair crisis has been fuelled by 'increased average vehicle weights on a deteriorating network'.
New cars have been growing at an annual average of 10kg heavier and half a centimetre wider in recent years, also driven by growing demand for SUVs, reports have found.
The increase in heavier vehicles and cars was said to be helping push Britain's crumbling roads to 'breaking point'.
Just last week the Government announced that millions of drivers will have an updated category B driving licence - by far the most common type held by tens of millions of motorists in the UK - to allow these licence holders to get behind the wheel of heavier vehicles.
Drivers can now pilot vehicles with a heavier maximum authorised mass (MAM) of up to 4,250kg, having previously been limited to 3,500kg.
However, the new rules apply to electric vehicles only because electric SUVs - which are laden with weighty battery packs to deliver long ranges on a full charge - are now teetering dangerously close to the previous MAM restriction.
Last year the country’s drivers paid a total of £1.7bn to repair vehicle damage caused by potholes. The average repair bill was £320
This year’s ALARM Report from the AIA revealed that the estimated £16.8billion road repair backlog bill has increased by 42 per cent since 2016.
Kwik Fit Pothole Impact Tracker published earlier this year highlighted how the cost to drivers has increased during the same period: Motorists are facing higher costs of 150 per cent to repair pothole-caused damage.
Last year, the country’s drivers paid a total of £1.7billion to repair vehicle damage caused by potholes.
And while the IAM RoadSmart data last week put the average repair bill at £320, other drivers are having to stump up three times that to repair or replace damaged wheels, shattered suspension components and broken steering parts.
Some five per cent say they paid more than £1,000 getting their motors fixed after driving through a pothole during the 12-month period.
The road safety charity said potholes are not just a 'danger to motorists and cyclists alike' but they have become a 'substantial financial burden' on drivers.
1. Collect the evidence
If you're a motorist looking to make a claim for a repair bill for pothole-related damage, or a cyclist putting in a damage or personal injury claim after hitting one in the road, the first port of call is to make a note of where the pothole is located, the time and date of the incident, and take a photo of the pothole.
A pothole needs to be at least 2 inches deep to be deemed a pothole in the eyes of councils.
And it's not just the depth and size of the pothole that councils will try to use to refuse paying out compensation.
Local authorities may defend a claim if they successfully argue that the pothole was not an obvious hazard - or if they were unaware of it, despite having in place a reasonable system of inspection and repair.
To improve your chances of a successful claim, it will help to demonstrate whether the pothole was an obvious danger or not.
Where possible, take photos at the scene, just in case the council repairs the pothole before you can return to take them.
If you didn't do this at the time of the incident, you can return to the scene to take pictures.
You should also take a photos of the damage the pothole has caused to your vehicle (or person, if you have been injured).
If possible, take your car to a garage and ask for a mechanic's report in writing for the projected cost to fix the issue caused – or if your motor isn't drivable, phone a reputable repair centre and request a quote.
2. Work out who is to blame
To make a claim for compensation, first you need to know who should pay out.
If the pothole is on a motorway or main trunk road, the chances are it is a National Highways (formerly Highways England) problem.
For local roads, you will need to research which council is responsible.
Once you've identified the party you need to contact, request a copy of highway maintenance schedules and number of reported incidents on the particular road for the previous 14 days as evidence that the road hasn't been properly maintained or a reported pothole hasn't been addressed.
3. Make the claim
You'll need to issue a formal claim to the local authority or National Highways and most responsible parties will have a template you can request from them.
4. What to do if you do - or don't - get a compensation offer
After making the claim, you should be notified if compensation is being granted.
Though you can still reject the value of the offer if you believe it isn't sufficient, especially if you have evidence that the pothole had already been reported but the responsible party had not acted to rectify it.
If the council refuses compensation, you can seek legal advice or make a case through the courts.
However, a word of warning that this could be a time-consuming process and is likely to be worthwhile only if the repair bill is considerable.
5. Final option: Make a claim through your insurance
If you have comprehensive cover, you can claim for pothole damage on your insurance policy.
However, it's worth considering the cost of the damage as well as your excess payments and if this action will affect your No Claims Bonus.
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