Over £40k paid in compensation for pothole damage

BBC Close up view of two potholes full of water on a black-tarmac road with several stones surrounding them.BBC
Potholes can cause significant damage to tyres, suspension and steering systems

A council has paid out £42,874 in compensation to drivers over the past four years for damage caused by potholes.

In the financial year, 2023/2024, North Lincolnshire Council (NLC) paid out 57 times to drivers for damage inflicted by potholes on roads maintained by the authority.

Since 2020/2021, NLC had a total of 410 claims relating to potholes with 135 of them leading to a payout.

NLC said it invests £13m every year to maintain and improve the roads across the region.

Tackling potholes

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, NLC is responsible for the maintenance of most roads in its area with the exception of motorways, some A-roads, and private roads.

A council spokesperson said: "1.14 billion vehicle miles were travelled on roads in North Lincolnshire in 2023 alone, which inevitably takes its toll on road surfaces.

"To combat this wear and tear and make journeys safer and smoother for everyone, we invest more than £13m every year to maintain and improve the road network.

"As well as tackling potholes this also includes major re-surfacing programmes, that many residents are already seeing the benefits of."

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