The National Motorcyclists Council, alongside the other members of road repair campaign group the Pothole Partnership, has given a thumbs-up to the government after its announcement on highway maintenance. The Department for Transport (DfT) will now have a requirement for progress reporting by local authorities, as they use additional ringfenced funding to tackle the “Pothole Plague”. The Pothole Partnership says that reporting and ringfencing are key parts of its Pothole Pledge, and the group says it’s delighted that the government has responded positively.
The partnership continues its discussion with the DfT on the other key elements of the Pledge, which, taken together, will result in real progress in tackling the serious issues that potholes represent to riders, including the need for permanent repairs, not temporary fixes, with all repairs done to the correct standards. Progress reporting is also a key part of the solution, says the NMC.
Potholes and road surface defects are highly hazardous to motorcycle riders. The same pothole that can damage a car could have a far more serious consequence for a motorcyclist or cyclist. The NMC, a member of the Pothole Partnership, also urges local authorities to use funding sustainably on high-standard permanent repairs, not on short-life temporary patching.
Craig Carey-Clinch, executive director of the National Motorcyclists Council, said: “The NMC welcomes this announcement as a very positive step forward in curing the pothole plague. Progress reporting is a key part of the solution.