And what to do if you have a pothole-related breakdown
The recent Spring Budget allocated an additional £200m for highways maintenance and pothole repair, in addition to the existing £2.7 billion committed in October for tax years between 2022 and 2025.
This news was welcomed by road users and industry bodies alike as the rise of potholes has been one of the biggest factors contributing to breakdowns. In fact, the RAC’s research published in January showed “RAC patrols attended nearly a quarter (23%) more breakdowns where potholes were likely to blame in the last three months of 2022 compared to the previous three months.”
The RAC report echoes a trend that our maintenance team has also seen with an increasing number of breakdowns caused by potholes. It’s not surprising given most new vehicles now do not carry a spare wheel as vehicle manufacturers have tried to reduce weight to meet targets following C02 emission legislation. The RAC has stated that wheel and tyre faults are now the single biggest category of breakdowns attended due to these manufacturing modifications.
However, whilst vehicles may be more environmentally efficient, it does cause a bit of an inconvenience if your drivers experience a flat tyre whilst they’re out on the road. Our maintenance partner, RAC, has implemented an innovative multi-fit wheel, meaning drivers can take their vehicle to a replacement tyre outlet and continue their journey with minimal disruption. Most RAC patrols carry the multi-fit wheel, fitting 45 of the top 50 vehicles that result in the highest ‘puncture, no spare’ related recoveries.
Whilst we all welcome the additional funding being invested in our roads to improve conditions and repair potholes, it’s not going to be an overnight solution. So, with the rise in potholes opening up on our roads, and the lack of spare tyres in drivers’ vehicles, it’s important your drivers know what to do if they incur a flat tyre.
If one of your drivers experiences a flat tyre they need to call their dedicated driver line (for most this will be0800 048 9569 then press option 2 > option 2 > option 1, but be sure to check if your business uses one of our customer specific driver lines). This will take them through to the RAC, open 24/7/365. The RAC will do one of 4 things;
1. Change a wheel with a spare
2. Temporary plug a puncture
3. Add the multi-fit wheel to allow onward travel to a Kwik Fit
4. Recover the vehicle to Kwik Fit if options 1 to 3 have not been possible.
For any problems or queries related to maintenance during working hours, please do not hesitate to contact our team on 01132 508 506 who will be happy to help you find the right service for your needs.