SUV Brand Ambassador, Austin Healey
As the automotive brand dedicated to providing class-leading Advanced Comfort, Citroën decided to team up with its New C5 Aircross SUV Brand Ambassador, Austin Healey, and Surrey County Council to smooth over 200 potholes in the county.
In a twelve-month period during 2017/18, more than 905,000 potholes were reported on UK roads.If combined, that total number of potholes could reach a depth of 36,200m, the same height as 21,433 New Citroën C5 Aircross SUVs stacked on top of each other. Overall, around 20% of the road network in England and Wales is in poor condition, and up to 41,575 miles of road across the UK could have less than five years of life remaining. According to additional statistics at www.fillthathole.org.uk/, the South East has the highest concentration of potholes in the UK.
Citroën has been working with Nu-Phalt™ Contracting using its Jetpatcher process to provide the drivers and residents of Surrey with a glimpse into the level of comfort that you can experience every day in Citroën’s latest models.
With the roll out of the Citroën Advanced Comfort® programme, the brand is redefining the concept of modern comfort for its customers. The programme includes an innovative suspension system with Progressive Hydraulic Cushions®, which filter out bumps and dips in the roads, providing customers with a smooth and comfortable drive. The Progressive Hydraulic Cushions® technology is fitted, as standard, on Citroën’s flagship model, New C5 Aircross SUV, as well as C4 Cactus, the brand’s family hatchback.
Surrey has some of the busiest roads outside London, which means they suffer more wear and tear than most, and the plummeting temperatures caused by the Beast from the East, which hit the UK last year, further impacted road conditions in the county – the number of potholes reported to the council for February and March more than doubled.
Action was taken in 2018, with the county council announcing an additional £20 million in a two-year programme of improvements. One year on and more than 270 roads have already been improved.
As a keen cyclist and Brand Ambassador for Citroën’s New C5 Aircross SUV, Austin Healey is no stranger to the UK’s pothole crisis – which is why he wanted to join Citroën to get hands on with the repair process. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/A2D2teBb1Gk
Souad Wrixen, Citroën UK’s Marketing Director
Austin Healey commented: “Since getting behind the wheel of New C5 Aircross SUV, I totally get the benefits of a car with Progressive Hydraulic Cushions® suspension. The way it filters out any imperfections in the road is incredible. So nothing gives me greater pleasure than getting stuck in and sharing this experience with the residents of Surrey.”
Souad Wrixen, Citroën UK’s Marketing Director, commented: “It’s no secret that the state of British roads is getting worse, and potholes cause problems for us all, whether you’re a driver, cyclist, pedestrian or resident in an affected area. As a brand we are dedicated to helping customers experience the perfect ride with our vehicles, so it’s a pleasure to work with Surrey County Council to make the roads smoother and provide a glimpse to all motorists of what it is like to a drive a Citroën every day.”
