Motorist who ‘hit pothole’ is seeking a 4-figure sum
A DRIVER is seeking compensation from Solihull Council after his car hit a pothole and suffered more than £1,000 of damage last month.
Joshua Clarke, 23, said he had been left in “an absolute pickle” after he struck the rut in the road, while travelling along a rural stretch of the A452 a couple of weeks ago.
He had heard a “loud bang” and while he was luckily able to come to a safe stop, insurance companies have quoted a four-figure sum for the extensive repairs.
Following the incident he has set a compensation claim in motion and is now waiting to hear back from road chiefs.
“You couldn’t see, it was very, very dark and (the pothole was) was full of water,” said Mr Clarke.
“I’m not very happy about it at all... I would be surprised if other people haven’t gone in it, it’s right on a slight corner as well.”
The incident happened on Friday, November 15, as Mr Clarke was driving back from the Kenilworth area to Cardiff, where he currently lives.
He described himself as being “in the sticks”, near to Eveson Fuels, when his car struck the pothole on the unlit route.
Checks on his 2017 Ford Fiesta later confirmed that the vehicle needed two new tyres and repairs to the alloys and bodywork – with the total bill exceeding £1,000.
He is likely to face several weeks wait to learn whether the council will pay out, with its website suggesting that most claims are processed within three months.
Mr Clarke said that, in the meantime, he was trying to get hold of information about road inspections via Freedom of Information (FoI) legislation, in the hope that it will bolster his case. And if the council don’t pay out he has suggested he will look to “take it further” with a small claim. Only last month, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) revealed that road users in Solihull had received almost £50,000 in two years, after more than 100 successful claims.
Although with 388 made in total in 2017/18 and 2018/19, the figures show that fewer than a third overall result in a pay-out.
A Solihull Council spokesman said: “We are committed to keeping our roads safe and carry out regular inspections of the road surfaces, in line with national guidelines. We undertake regular safety inspections and react to all reports of defects from the public.
“Where defects are identified we have a dedicated gang who treat potholes as quickly as possible. Throughout the year we have carried out extensive resurfacing works across the borough to prevent the formation of potholes.”