Motorists who care about their cars may do lots of things to keep them looking in great condition, with those particularly keen to make their vehicle stand out often opting for car customisation.
Suffice to say, if you have made a big effort to make your car look exceptional, you would think it reasonable that local councils make an effort to at least keep the roads decent.
Unfortunately, the early months of the year can be a tough time for motorists as the effects of winter weather can leave lots of potholes about by spring, with all the potential damage this can do to vehicles. It gets worse when utility firms add their own. Small wonder, therefore, that it has always been a low-level political issue.
However, sometimes it gets attention in high places and that was certainly true as prime minister Rishi Sunak kicked off the Conservative campaign for the local elections with a promise that new regulations will ensure utility companies will face more inspections and risk big fines if they leave potholes behind after digging up roads.
“We all hate them, the government’s putting more money in to fix them”, said Mr Sunak before adding in the policy announcement, during a visit to Darlington.
Last month the government unveiled an extra £200 million for road maintenance in 2023-24 in the Budget, which should also help, especially if it is topped up by money raised from fining sloppy utilities firms.
Of course, cynics will find fault with government policies and argue that bigger issues are being overlooked, and it’s certainly true that getting tough on potholes and tough on the causes of potholes is not itself enough to create a smooth road to recovery for a government that has been trailing badly in the opinion polls.
For all that, nobody votes for more potholes, so motorists who have stand-out cars will be joined by millions of other drivers in hoping that, whatever other issues the country faces, the roads they drive on will be much smoother.
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