Potholes are worst thing about driving - and Sheffield is one of worst places in Britain for bumpy roads

Potholes are the worst thing about driving according to motorists – and Sheffield is one of the worst places in the country for them, according to a new survey.
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A survey of 2,000 road users found the irritating craters in the road surface more annoying than tailgaters, drivers failing to use their indicators and even breaking down.

And Sheffield is the fourth worst place in the UK for potholes according to the study, which was drawn up to mark National Pothole Day.

Only Glasgow, Manchester and Plymouth are worse.

Sheffield is one of the worst places in Britain for potholes.Sheffield is one of the worst places in Britain for potholes.
Sheffield is one of the worst places in Britain for potholes.
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Eight in 10 drivers, cyclists and motorcycle riders admit they have to navigate potholes every time they take to the roads.

Paul Fleetham, managing director of contracting at Tarmac said: “Potholes may seem like a minor problem - but they cause millions of people financial and physical damage each year.

“Our research shows that the vast majority of city-dwellers are fed up with the inconvenience they cause.

“It is therefore essential that road maintenance in England and Wales receives adequate government funding.

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According to the research, 43 per cent of drivers have had their car damaged by a pothole.

The top cause of damage to vehicles was a burst tyre (44 per cent), ahead of damaged wheels (36 per cent).

The latest figures on potholes show that of the 70,609 potholes reported to Yorkshire councils in 2017-18, 6,738 of them were in Sheffield.

The potholes reached a combined total depth of 270m – deep enough to fit Canary Wharf inside – with room to spare.

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Last year, it was revealed that Sheffield City Council paid out over £85,000 for 380 pothole compensation claims in the city since 2017. However only 88 have been paid out.

The largest single claim was in 2017, when £13,136 was paid out.

Sheffield Council signed a 25-year Streets Ahead deal with Amey in 2012, and the contractor said by 2018 it had resurfaced around 65 per cent of the city's roads.

To date, Streets Ahead has resurfaced over 1,691 miles of pavement, resurfaced over 855 miles of road, and repaired over 154,056 potholes.

To report a pothole, complete a report on the council's website at www.sheffield.gov.uk/streetsahead or call them on 0114 273 4567.