Councils not paying out for pothole damage

New research has revealed that councils in the UK are paying less than a third of pothole damage claims.

Motoring experts LeaseCar has analysed the latest data to uncover which councils received the most pothole damage claims and how many of those claims were compensated.

A total of 43,947 damage claims were made across the UK between April 2018 and June 2021 and of these, less than a third (13,187) were compensated.

Glasgow received the highest number of pothole damage claims (3,678) but only three per cent (121) were settled in the driver’s favour. Following behind are Shropshire (2,246) and Cheshire East (2,200) who placed second and third on the list for damage claims.

Only seven per cent of motorists in Cheshire East received compensation while those in Shropshire fared slightly better at around the national average (34%).

Tim Alcock said: “Potholes are one of the biggest causes of damage to vehicles which means lots of repair bills that someone needs to pay for. With another cold snap on the way and UK road conditions showing no signs of improvement, more drivers are likely to be damaging their vehicles driving over potholes.

“We understand that it is expensive for local councils to compensate pothole damage claims which is why tackling the pothole problem should be a priority for many councils. But with less than a third of claims being compensated, motorists are being left out of pocket for hundreds or thousands of pounds at a time when budgets are tight.

“Taking further measures to repair and prevent potholes would significantly improve safety for road users and reduce the likelihood of accidents from occurring.”