The SNP’s new transport chief was told he must do everything in his power to fix potholes as data revealed nearly 10,000 were filled out in the 12 months up to last April across Scotland.
Kevin Stewart was given the unenviable task of managing the country’s roads by new Dundee-based First Minister Humza Yousaf.
From dualling the A9 between Perth and Inverness to tackling the long-running ferries crisis, he undoubtedly has a tough job on his hands.
But the scourge of potholes remains a pressing worry, especially in Tayside and Fife where countless streets have been left in a sorry state.
Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats showed 9,679 serious potholes were patched up north of the border in 2021-22, meaning dozens were fixed every day.
In some positive news for the government, that’s actually a decline from the year before when repair teams were urgently called to smooth out 12,949 bumps in the road.
However, it’s feared the cold snap which hit Scotland in December may have resulted in an increasing number of potholes again.
Locals across Tayside and Fife have been quick to raise their concerns over the state of some of the roads in their towns and cities.
In February, a motorist in Angus was forced to replace two tyres after his car hit a huge 7ft pothole on the B9128.
That same month a worried garage owner in Tayport warned he fears the shocking number of potholes on the road to Newport will eventually lead to a fatal accident.
Fife’s roads came under the spotlight last July when motoring association the AA claimed the region was Scotland’s pothole capital.
In December it emerged 216 drivers had made claims for compensation to the council in the space of a year due to their cars being damaged.
But the local authority only paid out in seven cases, a success rate of just over 3%.
One Fife road in particular, running from Cupar to Springfield, has been branded a “bombsite” as motorists are forced onto the wrong side of the road.
A crash investigator in Angus is also concerned the high number of potholes across the area means there is a “serious risk” of lives being lost in accidents.
However, last April residents in one village in the local authority were told it would cost an extortionate amount to pave over bumps in the road.
Elsewhere, in Dundee it was warned the number of potholes is expected to rise as the council planned a dramatic cut to its resurfacing budget.
Fife MSP Willie Rennie warned transport chief Mr Stewart must ensure roads in the north and north-east don’t “fall into disrepair”.
He said: “Scotland’s trunk roads have more holes than Swiss cheese.
“It’s not just frustrating to drivers, it’s dangerous too. Road users pay vast sums in tax, they deserve to rely on smooth and well-maintained roads.
“The new transport secretary must ensure that Scotland’s trunk roads are not allowed to fall into disrepair.”
North East Tory MSP Liam Kerr said: “Many of Scotland’s motorists are forced to use their car because they live in a rural area, or bus services are unsuitable.
“We all know how many potholes are on the typical commute — blowing tyres, causing accidents and wrecking travel plans every day.
“Potholes are appearing fast on the daily roads we use the most – far bigger and deeper than the meagre resources left to councils in the likes of Angus and Aberdeen.”
Mr Stewart said: “In 2021-22 we invested £556 million in managing, maintaining, and safely operating the Scottish motorway and trunk road network, in 2022-23 we are investing £586 million.”
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