The culprits for the deterioration of British roads are not cars, but the weather and trucks

Experts in the field of civil engineering and infrastructure came out in defense of electric cars and SUVs, refuting the narrative that these models would be the main responsible for the advance of potholes and the degradation of British highways. The debate gained intensity after surveys pointed out that the average mass of new cars has increased by about 400 kilos in the last nine years, reaching close to two tons, which motivated city halls in large centers to discuss higher parking rates for heavy vehicles.

Despite this general increase in the passenger fleet, professionals in the sector clarify that the impact exerted on the asphalt does not depend only on the total weight, but also on the load distributed per axle. Engineers explain that wear and tear grows exponentially, when doubling the pressure on an axle, the damage caused to the structure of the road multiplies by sixteen. For this reason, the greatest damage to the roads is caused by the transport of heavy loads, and a single route of a large truck generates an impact equivalent to thousands of passages of ordinary cars.

São Pedro does not help

Another determining factor pointed out by experts is the severe impact of weather conditions combined with the scarcity of resources for maintenance. The frequent cycles of freezing and melting of water that penetrates the microcracks of the runway weaken the structure, while extreme heat waves soften the runway material.

Sectoral data reveal that local authorities are dealing with a billionaire delay in road restoration works, leaving a large part of the network with a reduced useful life. Thus, technical entities conclude that the central problem of the roads stems from the intensive traffic of trucks, the harsh climate and the chronic lack of investments, exempting light automobiles from the main blame, which was often attributed to them.