Pothole damage is leaving financial dents in motorists’ pockets.

Drivers across the country are being denied compensation by councils who are paying less than a third of pothole damage claims.

Not our fault

Motoring experts LeaseCar.uk have analysed the latest data. It reveals 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). However, only 3% (121) were settled in the driver’s favour.

Following close behind are Shropshire (2,246) and Cheshire East (2,200) who placed second and third on the list for damage claims.

Only 7% of motorists in Cheshire East received compensation while those in Shropshire fared slightly better at around the national average (34%).

Cracking up

Councils are potentially liable for the damage to private vehicles if it is caused by badly maintained roads.

Motorists are advised to write to the council if they believe their vehicle has been damaged because of potholes. This can lead to financial compensation if claims are successful.

However, compensation is only payable if a pothole has been reported and not subsequently fixed by the council in their set timescale. It means  many drivers are being left to foot the bill themselves.

In a time when local authority budget are under severe strain, it means they are fighting harder to avoid payments.

Damage from potholes can cost UK motorists hundreds if tyres need replacing. If the damage is more, such as to steering or suspension, it can cost thousands .

Breaking up

Potholes are caused by water that seeping into the tarmac through cracks and other surface damage. In the worst cases, this water expands as temperatures drop below freezing during the winter, and this in turn further undermines the road surface.

Winter exacerbates the issues, but also the darker days, or water and snow on the surface can cover up the potholes. It means drivers have less opportunity to avoid damaging impacts.

this can lead to punctures or burst tyres, affect the condition of wheels, damage bodywork, and in extreme cases even damage a vehicle’s suspension and steering.

A huge and expensive task

While the budget saw the Chancellor provide another £200m to councils to help, it is a drop in the ocean. The problem doesn’t appear to be going away. A recent Department for Transport report found that there has been no improvement in the condition of UK roads over recent years. Moreover, the cuts to highway maintenance as budgets are squeezed means that surface damage is increasing.

Tim Alcock from LeaseCar.uk says their research shows that some areas of the country make it very difficult to claim financial compensation.

“Potholes are one of the biggest causes of damage to vehicles which means lots of repair bills that someone needs to pay for.

“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.

The annual ALARM Report on the state of the road network is due to be published in the coming weeks. It is likely to reveal a grim picture that will require billions of pounds to rectify. In the meantime, millions of pounds worth of damage is being caused to vehicles. But more than this, they are dangerous as drivers swerve to avoid potholes, keep their eyes fixed on the road surface rather than what happening ahead of them, or lose controls of their vehicle on impact. Cyclist and motorcyclists are extremely vulnerable.