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  • Writer's pictureSafer Highways

New study reveals over third of Oxfordshire roads 'need improvement


A recent study by the car insurance comparison site, Comparethemarket, has analysed government data to reveal the state of road conditions in local authorities across England.

According to the study, 33.5 per cent of roads in Oxfordshire need improvement in 2023.


The research showed that the City of Bristol was the area most in need of roadworks, with over three-quarters of roads requiring repairs.


Last month, nearly £4 million of government funding has been allocated to fix potholes in Oxfordshire.


The £3,706,000 total is part of the Budget announced yesterday by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

The Oxfordshire package is part of a £200 million pound package to fix potholes across the UK.

Delivering his budget speech, Mr Hunt said the “wet then cold winter” resulted in him receiving “strong representations” from MPs and councillors about “the curse of potholes”.


Councillor Liam Walker, representative for Hanborough and Minster Lovell Division and shadow cabinet member for highways on Oxfordshire County Council, welcomed the chancellor’s announcement.


He said: “I think residents will be delighted to hear the chancellor announce in his budget more funding to tackle potholes which are a nuisance for both motorists and us councillors who receive regular emails about them.


“I’ve had more complaints about potholes over the past few months than ever before and numbers from the county council seem to show less have been fixed over the course of the last year which is a concern.


“I hope this additional £3.7 million will help the council fix more potholes quickly but also ensuring the standard is high as residents are rightly frustrated when a repair simply fails some weeks later and has to be done again.”


It has been estimated that the total cost of fixing all potholes on minor roads in England and Wales would be over £12 billion.


Julie Daniels from Comparethemarket offered advice to drivers on how they could make a claim for damage caused by potholes.


She said: "It is possible to claim for damage caused by potholes and poor road surfaces through your car insurance, but just be aware that it might affect your no-claims bonus, and could lead to a more expensive premium the following year.


"You’ll also have to pay an excess, which is the amount of money you’ll have to contribute towards a claim.


"This amount differs depending on your Insurance premium, so It's best to check before making a claim.


"If you’re attempting to claim from the council, you'll need to take plenty of pictures of both the road and the damage to your car and note exactly where on the road the pothole is in relation to landmarks and get a few quotes from mechanics for how much it will cost to fix.”

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