A SURVEY has revealed that the average road user in the South West has suffered almost £1,500 worth of damage caused by potholes.

According to the survey of 2,000 people across the UK, conducted by OnePoll for car insurer NFU Mutual, 47 per cent of respondents had damage caused to their vehicle as a result of potholes and poor road conditions, with 46 per cent of people in Wales suffering damage.

The financial burden is accompanied by an increasing frustration at potholes, with 49 per cent of respondents in the South West listing it as their main concern as a road user.

Throughout the UK, half of all respondents cited it as their biggest concern as a road user – a six per cent increase compared to six months ago.

Westcountry drivers were also among the worst hit by potholes, with the average road user suffering damage of £1,417, 43 per cent more than the UK average of £992. Only road users in London (£1,525) were worse affected by pothole damage than those in the South West, with Welsh drivers also being badly hit (£1,411).

Andrew Chalk, car insurance specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “Potholes are unfortunately now not only an annoyance, but a danger to road users and their property.

“Our tracker survey shows that half of people in the UK see potholes as their biggest concern as a road user, far surpassing any other worries, and this is no surprise given the average cost of damage caused by potholes is reaching £1,500 in some areas.

“It’s not just motorists impacted. As a campaigner for rural road safety, we know that potholes and poor road condition can put vulnerable road users like cyclists, runners and horse riders at risk, either through collision or by having to come further into the road to avoid a pothole.

“The recently announced £1.6 billion road repair fund is welcome, but it certainly won’t eradicate the blight of potholes on our roads, so it’s worth all road users familiarising themselves with ways to mitigate damage where possible.”

In the Autumn Budget, the Government announced a £1.6 billion fund to repair England’s roads, with £500 million of this earmarked to fill seven million potholes per year. To receive their full share of this amount, local authorities must prove they are making progress in repairing potholes.

Potholes can damage vehicles or trailers in a number of ways, including bending axles or warping chassis, puncturing or otherwise damaging tyres or wheels, and cracking or breaking suspension components. As well as being dangerous for the driver, potholes can also bend or break components on bicycles and motorcycles.