Bath and North East Somerset Council has spent more than £285,000 on pothole repairs in just two years and has seen a staggering rise in the number of compensation claims lodged against it for damage caused by them
An investigation by Accident Claims Advice (ACA) has revealed claims against the council for pothole damage have risen by 144 per cent since 2021.
In 2022 and 2023, the council says it has spent a total of £285,059 on pothole repairs as well as forking out a further £13,000 in compensation claims between 2022 and 2024.
Up to 82 per cent of the miles of local roads flagged as in need of maintenance were ignored by councils last year - the highest proportion since records began in 2009, according to the latest Department for Transport (DfT) data.
Bath and North East Somerset council confirmed it currently has 226 potholes needing repair.
New data obtained by ACA via Freedom of Information requests has found that the local authority has had 194 legal claims lodged against it regarding potholes in the last three years with the figure increasing from 27 claims in 2022 to 66 last year (2023/24).
In 2023, the council paid out a record £5,957.68 settling 18 pothole claims.
ACA’s public liability specialist, Beverly Faulkner said: “Councils and local authorities have a duty of care to ensure the safety of people using public spaces, such as parks, highways and footpaths. A crucial part of this is making sure the land under their control is properly maintained. Failing to do this can put people at risk.
“The damage caused by potholes can be catastrophic leading to serious injury and/or costly vehicle damage. It is vital that roads are properly maintained. and councils are held responsible for the roads they maintain.”
Steve Gooding, the director of the RAC Foundation, said: “The number of cars is increasing, traffic volume is increasing, the number of potholes is increasing, the only thing not increasing seems to be the amount of money being spent on maintaining our local roads, which everyone in the country relies on whether they drive or not.”
Bath and North East Somerset council’s spending on pothole repairs has actually increased from £75,661 spent in 2022 to £209,399 in 2023.
The council said spending figures for 2024 were not yet available.
The UK Treasury announced in the Budget in October that total local road maintenance funding in 2025/26 will be nearly £1.6bn, representing a £500m uplift compared with the previous 12 months.
More than £300m was specifically allocated for local authorities in the South West.
Prime Minister Kier Starmer said in December: “Broken roads can risk lives and cost families hundreds if not thousands of pounds on repairs. That’s a cost that can easily be avoided by investing properly in our roads.
“That’s why we’re giving councils funding to repair our roads and get Britain moving again.”
Accident Claims Advice offers advice for anyone who has suffered injuries or damage caused by potholes.