'We are seeing three a week - minimum' garage owner describes impact of pothole epidemic
A garage owner has revealed the huge increase in cars damaged by potholes - more than at any point during his 25 year career.
Steve Davies, the manager and owner of Tyreworks Tyre Centres at Market Drayton, says the business is seeing three customers a week - minimum, who have had tyres, wheels, or cars, wrecked by potholes on Shropshire's roads.
It comes as the Shropshire Star has been running a week-long focus on the pothole epidemic blighting the county's highways.
For Mr Davies, who has been running the Burnside Business Park-based company for the past three-and-a-half years, said damage cased by potholes to people's vehicles is an increasing problem.
He said: "I'd say at the moment it is almost three times a week - minimum. We have had two today, we had two yesterday."
The garage owner said that the issue is not taken seriously enough, saying: "I know car tax has gone up again this year and we just do not get value for money in any way, shape, or form."
And although the damage is often a burst tyre, it can be worse, and more costly for people to repair.
He said: "We have just had a lady with a snapped coil spring on the back of the car - it can go at any time but that's the sort of thing that happens when you have a massive impact."
He added: "We have just changed a wheel for a gentleman and the wheel is absolutely destroyed."
There is no doubt in Mr Davies' mind that the state of the roads is worse - and the effect is more serious for drivers.
He said: "I had 15 years with one company and the number of cracked wheels and punctured tyres, it was one a month, now you're lucky if it's not one a day."
Mr Davies explained that for some cars the cost of repairs can be significant.
He said: "It can vary, some customers if the alloy wheel is damaged they just want them welded and we have a company local who will weld the cracks up for us - and that's quite cost effective.
"But we replaced one on a Mercedes C Class and that was north of £600."
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