It's not all doom and gloom: Though the majority (87%) of the van driving and owning community canvassed in the Mercedes
The Van Drivers’ Manifesto 2017 Urgent Action on Potholes, Congestion Hotspots & Urban Parking Demanded
The Van Drivers’ Manifesto 2017
Urgent Action on Potholes, Congestion Hotspots & Urban Parking Demanded
The nation’s van drivers have had their say on the sorry state of Britain’s highways & byways and pothole repair tops the list of urgent transport priorities for the new Government in a unique manifesto for our roads.
According to the research, commissioned by Mercedes-Benz Vans UK and surveying 2,000 van drivers, a staggering two thirds say they have had to pay for repairs to their vehicle in the last 12 months alone as a result of pothole damage, costing them an average of £411 over the past year.
The average cost of pothole damage is
2.
Two thirds of van drivers, owners and operators say they have had to pay for van repairs in the last 12 months as a result of pothole damage.
6/10 say pothole repair should be the re-appointed Transport Secretary’s top priority for the UK’s road network, ahead of better parking provision in towns and cities (43%) and investment in bypasses to remove major bottle-necks (34%). This comes despite the government’s flagship Pothole Action Fund announced just 14 months ago – which is allocating £250m to local councils over a five year period to help tackle the pothole menace.
2.
£411 over the past year
But many experts believe it’s not enough – in fact, the Asphalt Industry Alliance estimates £12bn is needed to fix the nation’s roads – and the experiences of van drivers suggest much more needs to be done.
8% have had to spend
£1,000
After all, potholes are not only a cause for financial concern – they are also a health and safety risk for all road users, causing unnecessary accidents and injury.
or more repairing vans as a result of pothole damage in the past year alone
1.
3.
The Van Drivers’ Manifesto 2017
Urgent Action on Potholes, Congestion Hotspots & Urban Parking Demanded
It’s not surprising then that pothole repair tops the list of priorities the nation’s van drivers want addressing urgently:
“Britain’s economy is driven by van drivers – all those home deliveries are an important part of the issue with vans also taking the wide range of tradespeople we all rely on to work wherever they are needed, carrying their tools, equipment and supplies with them. “Many vans are on the road all day, and the need to take them off for repairs is a substantial cost in more expensive deliveries and days of lost work for tradesmen. Smooth operation of the economy needs smooth roads. We are ready to help the drivers with training, but the economy needs roads fit for use by all – and that includes the vital part played by van drivers.” Peter Roger, Head of Driving Advice, IAM Institute of Advanced Motoring
6 /10 say pothole repair should be the priority for the UK’s
4.
road network
43%
34%
want investment in bypasses to remove bottle-necks
who want better parking provision in towns
ahead of
5.
6.
The Van Drivers’ Manifesto 2017
Urgent Action on Potholes, Congestion Hotspots & Urban Parking Demanded
The full list of road policy priorities the van driving community want to see happening are: 60%
Pothole repair
43%
Better parking provision in town
34%
Investment in bypasses to ease bottlenecks
24%
Widening motorways
19%
Increased traffic police presence
16%
More speed cameras
7.
think this should be a priority.
14%
Better training for professional drivers
More toll roads
68%
17%
Fewer speed cameras
Abandoning Smart Motorway schemes
Scottish van drivers are especially concerned about potholes –
6%
8.
4% The van community in Yorkshire & Humber region are more likely to want investment to reduce bottlenecks than anywhere else –
42%
see this as a priority 9.
The Van Drivers’ Manifesto 2017
Urgent Action on Potholes, Congestion Hotspots & Urban Parking Demanded
More than a third of van drivers, owners and operators say they are unsure or do not know how a Smart Motorway works
Congestion is also a critical issue for the new Government to address
Improved education and driver training is on the manifesto too – more than a third of van drivers, owners and operators say they are unsure how a Smart Motorway works, despite the rapid roll-out of this congestion-reduction initiative across the UK. With more than 4m vans on Britain’s roads, the view of drivers ‘from behind the wheel’ is of national economic relevance as online retailing and ever faster delivery slots become the norm and our everyday reliance on vans increases.
Delivery drivers say, on average, 15% of their working day is lost due to congestion
11.
Based on a (conservative) 8hr working day this equates to 1hr 12mins a day or
6 hours a week lost due to congestion
10. 12.
Keeping businesses moving. www.mbvans.co.uk Release date: 27 June 2017 Contact: Caroline Burnell, 07876 217056 About Mercedes-Benz Vans UK Ltd: Mercedes-Benz Vans UK Ltd is the sales and marketing organisation responsible for all Daimler Van products and services in Britain. In 2016, Mercedes-Benz Vans celebrated its best ever year in the UK, with 36,952 vehicles registered – a seventh consecutive year of growth. The team at Mercedes-Benz Vans UK Ltd have a combined 1,031 years of service with the brand, averaging more than 10 years direct experience with the brand each. The nationwide Dealer network of 116 sites employs more than 4,000 colleagues.
