A motoring boss has warned the UK’s already deteriorating roads are under strain during the extreme heatwave as temperatures are set to soar into the mid 30Cs and above.
The UK is facing the prospect of the summer’s hottest day so far as a blistering heatwave brings temperature highs of 37C to the country on Thursday.
The Met Office has issued an amber extreme heat warning for much of England, covering parts of the south and east, as well as swathes of the Midlands.
The AA said air temperatures in the low-to-mid 30Cs could translate into much higher road surface temperatures as the dark asphalt absorbs and stores heat, causing some roads to soften and leading highways authorities to go out with gritters to stabilise the surface.
Edmund King, AA president, said: “In prolonged hot weather, some road surfaces can soften, become sticky and, in places, start to rut under heavy traffic.
“The main risk for drivers isn’t that roads suddenly melt everywhere, but that already vulnerable patches can become tacky, uneven or start to deteriorate.
“That can affect braking, steering and grip, and can throw up loose material.”
He said the UK already had a major pothole problem and extreme weather – hot summers as well as cold winter conditions – “doesn’t help”.
“This is more than an inconvenience or a repair bill. Potholes and deteriorating surfaces are a road-safety issue,” he warned.
Drivers are being urged to slow down on poorer local and rural roads, look well ahead, leave extra space and expect to encounter substandard surfaces.
Motorcyclists and cyclists should take particular care, Mr King said, as hitting a pothole or suddenly encountering an uneven or softened surface can have very serious consequences for people travelling on two wheels.
Mr King previously said warming summer conditions are fuelling the already dire pothole crisis in the UK, which costs motorists an annual £3.3bn in vehicle repairs.
A Met Office forecaster has warned that temperatures in parts of England today could reach as high as 38C and impact infrastructure including railway lines and roads.
Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill said: “Temperatures (in areas covered by the amber warning) could reach highs of around 36, 37, possibly 38C.
“Now when you get these sorts of high temperatures, well that’s when we could see impacts to our infrastructure, our railway lines, our roads, they are not designed for this sort of heat.
“And more people are likely to be impacted by how hot it is with regards to their health.”
He said there was a slim possibility of Thursday becoming the hottest August day on record, but that this was “actually pretty unlikely”.
“It could be the hottest day of the year so far if we get above 38C, and if we get above 38.5C, well it could be the hottest August day on record, but that’s actually pretty unlikely.”
