Last winter we saw a serious increase in potholes on our roads. Although this is partly due to the lack of maintenance over many years, rain and freezing temperatures have a significant impact on our roads. Rain gets into small cracks in the road surface and when this freezes the cracks expand. The weight of vehicles travelling on a road further weakens these cracks and causes the road to crumble.

We still have many potholes left over from last winter, but the situation is going to get worse with the current winter weather.
Surrey County Council is addressing this situation by:
- Investing over £200 million to improve Surrey’s roads and pavements
- This has included resurfacing 150 miles of roads and pavements since April
- It has doubled the volume of materials it uses to repair potholes and is carrying out larger-scale fixes where possible
- Its highways teams now operate from three depots across Surrey so it can get to defects quicker
- It is trialling new video and AI technology to better detect potholes and new machinery to speed up repairs
- It is increasing its teams during the winter so potholes can be repaired quicker
What to do if your vehicle is damaged by a pothole (Check with your insurance provider):
There are two courses of action to consider: making a claim on your car insurance or making a claim about the authority responsible for the road.
Bear in mind that making an insurance claim might not be financially beneficial as you will probably have an excess to pay, and the claim could lead to a future increase to your premium.
Claiming against the authority responsible is not that easy either. All local and A roads in the County, apart from the A3 and motorways are the responsibility of Surrey County Council. The motorways and A3 are managed by Highways England and Red Routes in Greater London by Transport for London.
You will have to prove that the authority has been negligent. Usually if the pothole has not already been reported to the authority, they will not entertain a claim.
Most motoring organisations recommend the following:
Make sure your tyres are in good condition and that the tyre pressures are correct.
Practice good driving habits – drive slower on roads that may have potholes, ensure there is enough space between the vehicle in front to be aware of potholes. If it is safe to do so, drive round potholes and puddles that may conceal potholes.
Keep a firm hold on the steering wheel. A dip in the road can cause your vehicle to suddenly change direction. Straightening your wheels will enable you to hit any defect head on which is less likely to cause damage than contacting at an angle. Also try to avoid heavy breaking directly over a hole.
Check your tyres and wheels after experiencing potholes. If there are signs of damage get it checked out sooner rather than later to ensure the problem does not get worse.
Report the pothole to the relevant authority. This will ensure that others (and you) may not experience the same problem in the future.