Currently reading: Potholes are major election issue
MORI survey reveals potholes are the biggest concern of voting motorists

Potholes and the state of local roads is the biggest election issue facing motorists, according to an Ipsos MORI survey carried out for the RAC Foundation.

The survey was taken shortly before the general election was called, and it highlights public concern with the state of Britain’s roads.

Just over three quarters of British adults say potholes and damaged roads are a big problem in their local area and a little over half (52 per cent) are not satisfied with road maintenance, the highest level of dissatisfaction for a decade.

Commenting on the results, Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “This starkly underlines the huge inconvenience potholes are causing the majority of the Great British public and leaves would-be politicians in no doubt of where voters – no matter what their political persuasion - think the next Government’s transport priorities should lie.”

He added “In 2006 1.7 million people signed a petition calling on Tony Blair not to introduce road pricing, and eventually the Government dumped the idea.

“Too often, this country’s 34 million car drivers are taken for granted by the politicians and most of the time they are the silent majority, but when they do speak they change public policy.

“Those who want to be our elected representatives ignore motorists’ views at their peril.”

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Dan McNeil v2 16 April 2010

Re: Potholes are major election issue

Autocar wrote:
Potholes and the state of local roads is the biggest election issue facing motorists,

What, as opposed to foreign wars, the state of the economy, crime, global environmental degradation caused by unstoppable population growth and other minor issues? Frankly, any person who seriously thinks that potholes are the biggest election issue deserve the government they get.

Plus, a motorist is a person who drives a car. You refer to them as if they were some sub-species of Homo sapiens. You might just as well call people "toasterists" because they regularly operate a toaster. Obviously, a person who drives a car and operates a toaster on a regular basis is both a motorist and a toasterist. Or a motoasterist for short.

Dan McNeil v2 16 April 2010

Re: Potholes are major election issue

MattDB wrote:
I know that most motorists hate cyclists
Do you think so? What about motorists who are also cyclists (like me)?

MattDB 16 April 2010

Re: Potholes are major election issue

Barak Obama has stated today that he want America to land on Mars. I think we should go as navigating the potholes qualifies us all to handle the terrain already!

Joking aside, we motorists should sue the goverment under the sale of goods act, as we pay for maintained roads via our VAT on fuel and new cars, our fuel duty, and road tax, yet they don't deliver. I know that most motorists hate cyclists, but witnessed an accident the other day where some poor woman crashed into a pothole on her bike and nearly ended up under the wheels of a van