British Cycling has today joined forces with road user and industry groups to call for urgent action on Britain’s potholes, which pose an increasing and potentially fatal risk to people on bikes.
Launched on National Pothole Day, the new Pothole Partnership has today delivered a five-point plan to government for tackling the issue, with a core focus on guaranteed funding and delivering high-quality repairs which last.
While potholes have the capacity to damage vehicles, they’re potentially fatal for people on bikes, and we know that the failure to adequately tackle the issue is a longstanding barrier to getting more people riding on the road.
A campaign on potholes by Cycling Weekly in 2023 found that 118 bike riders were killed or seriously injured due to a defective road surface between 2017 and 2021, with six tragically losing their lives. Despite a welcome increase in funding committed by government last year, it is estimated that the total cost of fixing all current defects could be as high as £14 billion.
As we begin a General Election year, today’s call sits alongside our work with the Walking and Cycling Alliance to ensure that the interests of our members are heard, understood and represented by parties and candidates ahead of polling day.
Caroline Julian, British Cycling’s External Affairs Director, said:
“We know from our members that potholes are a longstanding frustration and concern. They have tragic and fatal consequences that cannot be ignored. If we’re serious about fulfilling our ambitions to get more people cycling, we simply must ensure that our roads are safe and comfortable for them to ride on, and not the crater-filled carriageways they currently face.”
The Pothole Partnership has been formed by the AA, the National Motorcyclists Council, British Cycling, IAM RoadSmart, the British Motorcyclists Federation and manufacturer JCB.
Edmund King, AA President, added:
“Last year AA patrols dealt with more than 600,000 pothole-related incidents which on a national scale will have cost drivers almost half a billion pounds. Currently, we often have a vicious circle of: pothole formed; damage caused; pothole patched; pothole reappears with more damage caused - when what we need are more permanent repairs. Potholes are the number one concern for 96% of drivers and can be fatal for those on two wheels so hopefully pressure from the Pothole Partnership will lead to permanent repairs.”
What to do in the event of injury or damage?
Did you know that you may be able to seek compensation for losses arising from accidents caused by potholes?
Our legal partner Leigh Day has pulled together a useful guide covering how to deal with cycling incidents caused by potholes, and how to collect evidence for a pothole damage claim. You can read this here.
Almost one in five claims reported to us by our members relate to highway defects, and with Leigh Day we continue to successfully recover damages on their behalf. Find out about our liability cover and legal support – and all of our other member benefits – here.
