Hopes by commercial vehicle drivers that Britain’s pothole problems may abate have been dealt a blow with news that compensation paid by councils to vehicle owners suffering pothole damage to their cars surpassed £1 million last year.
That’s despite the AA dealing with 631,852 pothole related incidents in 2023, which it estimated cost drivers £474 million and Kwik Fit suggesting the total repair bill was £1.48 billion.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request, submitted by The Green Insurer and answered by 50 councils across the UK, showed that 6,243 motorists received compensation for damage to their car caused by potholes or poor road conditions – an 82 per cent rise on the previous year and more than double the 3,043 payouts in 2019. However, almost two-thirds (65%) of claims last year were rejected with 11,413 claims turned down.
Councils that responded to the FOI said they were notified of nearly 300,000 potholes last year and spent £52.45m repairing them. It also found that one in 20 adults say they have tried to fill in potholes themselves or with neighbours.
Paul Baxter, CEO of The Green Insurer, said:
Potholes and badly maintained roads are a major issue for everyone, with drivers regularly suffering damage to cars and needing to find the money to pay for repairs. Our FOI shows the extent of the problem with councils receiving around 300,000 reports of potholes every year and spending up to £52.45 million on repairs. Our research even shows people are trying to fill in potholes themselves.
The Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) has previously reported that, while half of local roads are in good structural condition, the remainder – more than 100,000 miles – could continue to deteriorate to the point of needing to be rebuilt within the next 15 years, without appropriate maintenance measures.