Potholes cause injury... and force councils to dig deep

COUNCILS have had to settle six-figure claims for injuries and damage caused by potholes.

A survey shows that authorities suffer financially for failing to fill craters that then harm a motorist, cyclist or pedestrian.

Kent County Council admitted it paid out £600,000 last year to a motorcyclist who was injured after hitting a pothole.

Many motorists claim our roads have never been in such a poor condition. Industry experts estimate authorities are receiving almost one million complaints every year from people complaining about surfaces.

Councils are cash-strapped yet potholes can cost from as little as £100 to fix.

A survey of England’s biggest local authorities revealed the 10 councils which paid out the most in compensation for damage and injury caused by potholes last year.

Kent was way out in front, paying £797,206, followed by Derbyshire, which shelled out £455,605, and

Hertfordshire which faced a bill of £371,699.

In some cases a single simple incident involving a pothole can lead to a huge payout. In

Derbyshire the council handed £102,500 to a walker who hurt themselves on one in a defective right of way.

A claim from a cyclist who was hurt after they struck a rogue stretch near St Albans cost Hertfordshire Council £83,729.

Sheffield City Council paid £36,446 to a cyclist who suffered severe injuries and damaged their bike after hitting a pothole.

In Staffordshire a pedestrian who tripped in a crater while crossing a road intamworth sued the authority who paid £24,780 to settle the case.

Officials there also stumped up £24,781 to a pedestrian who stumbled and hurt themselves on a pothole while crossing the road in the market town.

Nottinghamshire Council paid £19,422 to a motorcyclist who damaged their bike and suffered injuries after hitting a pothole near Newark.

Surrey Council coughed up £12,296 for a pedestrian who suffered injuries in a fall that was caused by surface damage in High Street, Epsom.

Potholes are such a problem that the RAC has said it attends more than 1,000 breakdowns every month where cars have been forced off the road after hitting one.

Kent £797,206

Derbyshire £455,605

Hertfordshire £371,699

Lancashire £292,798

Staffordshire £284,601

Oxfordshire £183,287

West Sussex £165,041

Surrey £159,415

Leeds £143,831

Sheffield £130,522