Skoda Sought out UK’s “most extreme school run” based in Pontrhydfendigaid, Wales, and the car dealt with it perfectly.

• British parents spend nine weeks of their lives ferrying kids to and from school gates
• Over a third cite it as the most stressful time of the day
• ŠKODA sought out UK’s “most extreme school run”
• The Jones family from Pontrhydfendigaid, Wales, was selected as the winner – they regularly have to overcome floods and fallen trees just to get to school
• A brand new ŠKODA Kodiaq – on its first foray on British roads – was sent in to lend a hand

British parents spend almost nine weeks* of their lives ferrying kids to and from the school gates, according to new research** from ŠKODA. And for many – over a third (36%) of UK mums and dads – the ‘school run’ is the most stressful parental duty that they undertake.

However, whilst traffic (64%) is the most common obstacle facing people on their daily commute, spare a thought for those living in the most remote parts of the UK. 

According to ŠKODA’s study, in the furthest flung places such as the Scottish Highlands and Welsh Valleys, delays to school runs caused by hazards such as flooding rise by as much as 18% against the national average (56% vs 38%).

Livestock on the roads also causes issues. In the county of Sutherland in the far north of Scotland, and in the mid Wales county of Ceredigion, an average of one in ten parents regularly has to stop to bypass rogue sheep and cattle – almost twice as often as any other rural location.

On the back of these figures, ŠKODA sought out the country’s ‘most extreme school run’ – a nationwide search for the family facing the toughest terrain and obstacles – to put its brand new large SUV, the Kodiaq, through its paces in the UK for the first time.

Step forward the Joneses, a farming family based in Pontrhydfendigaid, Ceredigion, Wales.

Nestled amongst stunning picture-postcard scenery, the Jones’ land even features its own waterfall. However, despite beautiful appearances, their location also offers up problematic driving obstacles than cause the family delays of anywhere between ten minutes and two hours.

Dad William often has to use his chainsaw to help remove fallen trees, whilst ice and floods also present regular challenges – with a broken-down lorry blocking the road for two solid days last year. The Jones’ cottage, Cwmmoiro, sits within its own micro-climate, meaning it can be snowing at home when it is raining at the children’s school.

Mum Sarah Jones explained: “Every day when we wake up we don’t know what we’re going to come up against on our school run, which is part of the fun of living up here really. We could take our horse Willow, but a 4x4 makes things so much easier.”

Prior to its secretive arrival in Wales from the Czech Republic, the seven-seater ŠKODA Kodiaq had completed over a million miles of testing in some of the most extreme climates around the world. In what was a typically wet and windy day in Pontrhydfendigaid, that testing was the perfect preparation. The Joneses got to experience the Kodiaq’s outstanding 4x4 functionality, cutting across the valley via a slippery off-road route that features lots of mud and water crossings.

Sarah Jones concluded: “We were hugely impressed with the Kodiaq and our journey to school was the smoothest we’ve ever experienced. It tackled flooded areas and hills with ease and we enjoyed the headroom and nice little extras such as the heated seats. The seven seats would definitely come in handy for collecting our children’s school mates and when they’re not being used, we can pop our dogs in the back. The kids really want us to buy one now!”

Pothole damages claims rise by 750% due to failure to repair roads.

• Winter floods create surge in compensation claims to affected councils in Jan/Feb
• Somerset Council claims in Jan/Feb 2014 up 750% against Nov/Dec 2013
• New pothole signage could be installed on damaged stretches of road as a temporary warning system for road users
• Signage would only need prevent 2-3 incidents to cover costs versus £100s in garage bills and compensation payments

Councils in the areas worst hit by the winter storms are now facing a different kind of flood – a rising swell of automotive compensation claims – according to campaign website, Potholes.co.uk.

While homeowners seek compensation for damage to their houses, road users are also demanding remuneration for car axle, wheel and suspension faults caused by pothole-ridden stretches of saturated roads.

In one county – deluged Somerset – claims spiked at 204 in January / February from just 24 in November / December, a massive 750% increase in cases.

The same worrying trend has been spotted in some of the other regions worst hit by flooding at the start of this year. Surrey County Council reported a 353% increase and admitted that an “unprecedented number of claims” meant that there was still a backlog of claims waiting to go on to the system, meaning the statistics will only get worse.

In Dorset, one of the worst hit flood areas, the County Council saw claims for pothole damage increase from 85 in November/December to 193 in January/February – up 127%. In January the county experienced up to 290mm of rain in some areas – almost three times the average expected at that time of year.

Worcester floods hit record levels in February and claims to the County Council also rose 400% from 25 in November/December to 125 in January/February.

To draw attention to the ongoing problem with the crumbling roads, Potholes.co.uk has unveiled a new design for temporary signage that could be adopted to warn motorists and other road users about pothole-ridden stretches of road.

Pothole damage to cars in the UK creates an estimated annual repair bill of £730million and continues to increase each year, according to research by Potholes.co.uk and Warranty Direct.

As the UK emerges from some of the most destructive winter floods on record, hundreds of roads across the country have been left saturated and crumbling, accelerating existing deterioration and creating the perfect conditions for a pothole plague.

Warranty Direct managing director, David Gerrans, said: “With potholed stretches of road affecting many road users on a daily basis, there’s now real cause to create dedicated signage. Let’s give people a fighting chance of avoiding unnecessary garage bills or even personal injury.

“If road signs can warn of falling rocks from above then why not craters from below? The average bill for pothole damage now runs at £247, so a sign only needs stop a couple of incidents to justify the expenditure. The embarrassment will be for the Government in just how many signs need to be put up – there’s one pothole for every mile of road by some estimates.”

As a result of the heavy rainfall damaging roads, campaign website Potholes.co.uk had more than 1500 potholes reported across the UK in January and February alone, by motorists who had either damaged their vehicles or were trying to warn others of the hazards.

One site visitor reported hitting a submerged pothole whilst driving back from Elstead towards Puttenham. With rain water making the deep crater almost invisible, they drove through it cracking their alloy and bursting the tyre in the process.

Increasing numbers of visitors have also reported how they are warning other drivers by placing traffic cones in or next to the affected road surface. Potholes.co.uk is concerned that these good citizens are putting themselves at risk from passing traffic in the process.

One motorist in Hampshire damaged two tyres when they hit a pothole. They have since taken it upon themselves to mark the hazard with a traffic cone.

Even London Mayor Boris Johnson isn’t immune to the perils of potholes. In his Telegraph column (16/02/14), the cycling enthusiast admitted to being thrown from his handlebars and writing off his bike when he struck a road defect hidden by rainwater whilst riding up Whitehall in London.

Warranty Direct found that claims for axle and suspension damage, a common result of hitting potholes at speed, increased 22% between 2012 and 2013. Axle and suspension faults currently represent around 10.1% of all claims handled by the company – in 2010 this was just 4% – a 159% rise in cases.

While the average repair bill for pothole-induced axle or suspension damage is £247, Warranty Direct and Potholes.co.uk have identified recent claims as high as £2,700. The average cost for a council to repair a single pothole is only around £52^[1].

If your vehicle has been damaged as a result of a pothole, you may be entitled to compensation from your council. Visit www.potholes.co.uk/claims/how_to_claim for more information.