CAR breakdowns caused by Britain’s “pothole plague” surged nearly 20 per cent in just a year.
More than 9,400 motorists called the RAC between January and March after their vehicles were battered by crater-riddled roads.
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It is up from 7,900 over the same period last year.
Common damage includes wrecked wheels, broken suspensions and blown tyres, with the average repair setting drivers back £460.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Our pothole-related breakdown data is a very clear reflection of the true state of the UK’s roads, and it sadly shows the pothole plague is as prevalent as ever.”
He urged councils to ditch quick fixes and carry out proper repairs and preventative work to stop roads falling apart.
The Government last month announced a £1.6billion pothole fund – including a £500million boost.
It also warned that councils must now prove they’re filling holes fast enough or risk losing up to £125million in funding.
A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: “The public deserves to know how their councils are improving their local roads, which is why they will have to show progress or risk losing a quarter of our record funding boost.”
Nearly two in five drivers have had a run-in with a pothole, a survey found.
And 61 per cent believe the roads they use every day are in a shocking state.
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