Drivers back pothole levy for heavier vehicles
New research has found that drivers believe operators of heavy vehicles should contribute more towards road maintenance through a pothole levy.
According to a survey carried out by Kwik Fit, 56% of drivers agree that operators of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) should pay a pothole levy, while 44% of drivers believe delivery drivers should also contribute.
Meanwhile, 48% of respondents said road tax should be higher for heavier vehicles, with the additional income reserved for improving the state of UK roads.
Kwik Fit’s 2025 Pothole Impact Tracker Report, published in March, revealed that UK drivers paid £1.7bn for repairs to vehicles damaged by potholes.
Road maintenance
Dan Joyce, operations director at Kwik Fit, said: “The data shows that there is an increasingly pressing need to invest in the maintenance of our road network, but our new research highlights that there are no easy answers as to how this is funded.
“Motorists already feel that they are contributing enough, so it is understandable that they want the additional burden to be on the heavier vehicles believed to do the most damage to road surfaces.
“Of course, any costs placed on businesses through levies on HGVs or delivery vans are likely to be passed through to the end consumer, so it’s critical that potential measures are not looked at in isolation.”
