Freak weather ruins roads to the tune of £45M - Thurso

The cost of repairing the road damage caused by this summer's freak weather could be well over £45 million, the Liberal Democrats warned today.

Figures released by the Government to John Thurso MP, Lib Dem Shadow Transport Secretary, reveal that the cost of flood damage in 2001 reached £45 million. That figure is set to rise after it was confirmed that Britain has seen the wettest August on record.

The Department for Transport figures also reveal that last year's drought - the other face of climate change - cost local authorities a further £40 million.

Commenting, John Thurso said:

"Many motorists will have already suffered the dangerous driving conditions caused by recent flooding.

"The second blow will be the huge cost of repairing the road damage caused by the increasingly frequent freak weather conditions.

"The adverse effects of climate change on the condition of our roads can be extremely hazardous. Even worse, many people in rural areas could see their main transport links simply washed away.

"Britain is in desperate need of a climate change strategy that actually works."