The most commonly cited issue on voters’ minds was fixing potholes
Some want regime changes to potholes and fuel duty, plus consideration of 80mph speed limits
More than a fifth (21%) of drivers in the UK will prioritise motoring issues in the upcoming general election, according to research by Autocar.
A survey of 1073 motorists has revealed the issues that will guide their voting decisions during the upcoming general election.
The most commonly cited issue was fixing potholes, which was rated as the most pressing issue by 70% of respondents. It’s estimated that there are now more than a million potholes in the UK.
A desire to cut fuel duty (31%) and to improve the electric vehicle charging network (31%) were their next biggest political priorities.
The latter issue was highlighted in a recent report by the House of Lords’ Environment and Climate Change Committee.
The subject of 20mph speed limits is a divisive topic among drivers. While a third of respondents (33%) wished for fewer 20mph zones in populated areas, 28% wanted more.
Concern about speed limits is particularly pertinent following the Welsh government’s decision to introduce a blanket 20mph speed limit in built-up areas last September.
At the other end of the spectrum, more than half (54%) of respondents said they want the motorway speed limit raised to 80mph and nearly one in five (19%) would like to go even further, with the introduction of unrestricted, autobahn-style motorways.
“Despite the government’s unveiling of the ‘Plan for Drivers’ in October last year, more clearly needs to be done to address motorists’ concerns about road maintenance, fuel prices and charging infrastructure,” said Mark Tisshaw, editor of Autocar and Autocar Business.
“The topic of motoring always plays a role in elections, and these issues will be a voting priority for one in five motorists, highlighting the importance of the UK’s road users.”
Issues such as parking, low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) and clean air zones (CAZs) like the London ULEZ are also on the minds of motorists.
Some 83% would like to ditch parking apps in favour of cash or contactless payments, according to Autocar’s research. Meanwhile, 38% of respondents also wanted LTNs to be abolished completely – the same percentage as those who wanted CAZs to be removed.
“It’s telling that a significant minority of voters clearly favour CAZs and LTNs, and their calls to improve the EV charging network suggest many subscribe to the view that we need to reduce carbon emissions,” Tisshaw added.
Click here to find out more about what Autocar’s experts think will be on voters’ minds.
