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Motoring news

Pothole epidemic 'could be fixed by fuel tax'

27/01/2010

'Extra' tax generated by high fuel prices could be used to repair the UK's crumbling roads in 100 days, according to the AA.

The motoring organisation says that the 1.8p "tax windfall" generated by the current high prices - in comparison to "a more typical £1 for this time of year" - means that the Government receives £1.1 million in extra VAT revenue every day from petrol sales alone.

The average UK petrol price is currently 112.2p per litre, while diesel is 114.1p, according to Petrol Prices.com, while the AA says that for petrol, the January-to-April average for the last three years is just 95.3p per litre.

According to the AA's figures, the UK's estimated two million pot holes - costing £70 each to repair - could be filled in three to four months by creating a pothole fund, skimmed from the extra tax netted from higher fuel prices.

The unusually cold winter has seen a rash of potholes opening up in the UK's road network. Many are either created or worsened by the so-called 'freeze-thaw' cycle - where water freezes and expands inside cracks in the road.

President Edmund King said that diverting almost 2p per litre of fuel tax into a pothole fund would mean drivers could understand where their money was being spent.

"Potholes affect all road users from cyclists to bus passengers," he added.

"They are a particular menace at night on dark rural roads as often the driver is unaware of the pothole until the damage is done."

Meanwhile, the cold spell is set to continue.

The Local Government Association said it was "very closely monitoring" the level of salt stocks held by local authorities, pointing to a continued need for overnight gritting in light of Met Office forecasts for colder than average weather through the weekend.