Pothole damage claims by drivers treble

Grant Prior 13 years ago
Share

Claims lodged by drivers for damage caused by potholes nearly trebled last year in Kent.

The county council has confirmed that claims hit 3,474 last year – more than nine for every day of the year.

The council has so far paid out £56,113 to settle compensation claims lodged in 2010, but the figure will rise because many remain outstanding.

In 2009, the council paid out £111,234 after 1,196 claims for vehicle damage.

The head of AA roads policy, Paul Watters, said: “It is disappointing there are so many claims because it shows there are so many roads at breaking point that need proper repair.

“Potholes signify that the road is probably past its sell-by date and could do with a decent repair.

“But it is probably fairly frustrating for the council because they did invest extra money is fixing potholes last year.

“The government gave them £2.4m and they topped it up to £6.5m. It just shows you the ravages of the winter.”

In 2009, the average paid out for successful claims in Kent was more than £300.

The council said it had more than 60 crews working on pothole repairs – twice as many as normal.

“This workforce gives a ‘rapid response’ to tackling the most critical potholes,” it said.

“Kent is bigger than other counties and has more than 5,000 miles of roads to maintain.

“Initially, we are having a crackdown on dangerous potholes. In the spring we will be carrying out a much larger repair programme.”

Latest news

RSK snaps up muckshifting and civils firm RJT Excavations

£30m turnover civils specialist employs around 125 staff
11 hours ago

Willmott Dixon replaces Buckingham on Swansea job

Firm will pick up the pieces to finish off largely complete £135m job
12 hours ago

M&E specialist Michael J Lonsdale goes under

£250m revenue London specialist placed into administration
1 day ago

Another part of Real group heading for administration

Real SW staff given bad news as first contract already novated to Rydon
20 hours ago

HSE to prosecute Falcon after triple crane death

Court proceedings to start this month following tragedy in 2017
1 day ago

Retention records added to stricter payment reporting laws

Disputed value of invoices to be bolted into prompt payment reporting
19 hours ago

Esh Group counts on record orders after resilient year

Order book swells to £600m raising hopes for year ahead
20 hours ago

Costain transportation MD exits

Sue Kershaw resigns after nearly four years heading highways, rail and aviation division
20 hours ago

Materials giant Heidelberg drops Hanson brand

Hanson UK renamed Heidelberg Materials
21 hours ago
Heidelberg Materials

Clegg Construction sinks £3m into the red

Clegg Group lifted by specialist food project arm after tough year in general building
2 days ago

£350m Birmingham triple tower scheme approved

Vast curving Ringway Centre to be demolished for 1,750 flats development
2 days ago

Eight face fight to renew £400m North West framework

Bidding starts for places on NWCH's £1m-£4m project framework
2 days ago

Midgard lands £245m Tottenham Hale towers

Three towers of up to 38 storeys complete north London regeneration scheme
2 days ago

Designs chosen for mini nuclear reactors

First contracts for next generation of nuclear power to be awarded next summer
2 days ago

Go-ahead for Wates £35m Hartlepool leisure centre job

Work on the Highlight waterfront centre to start in November
2 days ago

Buckingham Group supply chain hit for over £108m

Over 1,200 firms left in the lurch, while bond providers brace for £86m payout
5 days ago

Bidders day for £4bn-plus Palace of Westminster restoration

Tendering to start next July for main construction, integrator and design partners
5 days ago

Green light for 690-home Birmingham Smithfield scheme

Prosperity Group plans to start work in Autumn next year on major Smithfield scheme
5 days ago

Go-ahead for 289 homes next to Saltaire World Heritage site

Ambitious plan to demolish a vacant Bradford office complex for new residential quarter
5 days ago

Costain wins phase 2 of A40 Westway viaduct repairs

TfL re-signs Costain for Wood Lane to Marylebone Flyovers repairs
5 days ago

Regeneration specialist Muse gets new MD

North west chief Phil Mayall promoted to run whole Muse business
5 days ago

Building engineering services workers accept 7% pay rise

Two-year deal includes a 3% hourly rate rise from October 2024.
6 days ago

Inland Homes files for administration

Questions remain over house builder's last two years of accounts
6 days ago

Council orders developer to tear down tower blocks

Comer Homes told to demolish occupied towers in Woolwich after planning row
7 days ago

Bouygues UK restructure sees CEO exit

Contractor restructures as Rob Bradley retires
7 days ago

Fit-out firm BW Workplace returns to profit

London and south east fit-out firm sees revenue rebound 50% to £216m
6 days ago

Tarmac fined £1.275m after quarry death

26-year-old Luke Branston died during maintenance work at Leicestershire quarry
6 days ago

Galliford Try targets multi-rise affordable housing

Firm fills new role of director of affordable homes
6 days ago

Barratt to demolish more homes with faulty foundations

Number of homes to be demolished on Cambridge estate rises from 36 to 83
7 days ago

Steel contractor William Hare edges back to break-even

Revenue slides a quarter to £165m as firm records £108,000 profit
7 days ago

Contractor services