Sandwell Council pays £65k compensation over pothole injuries
A cash-strapped council has paid out almost £65,000 in compensation to road users over injuries from potholes.
The cash was paid out by Sandwell Council to cyclists, motorcyclists and motorists in four years between April 2013 and April 2017.
There were 19 claims in total due to injuries from potholes – resulting in £64,132.44 being paid out across the four years.
A spokesman for Sandwell Council said it regularly repairs potholes and the local authority has just received a £155,000 boost for this.
The council spokesman said: “We repair potholes as part of our duties under the Highways Act.
“As well as conventional patching works, we also carried out a range of surface improvements last year to help prevent potholes.
"These measures help repair minor defects and create a waterproof layer to reduce the risk of potholes forming.
“When this type of work is completed, its helps reduce more costly repair works.
"Sandwell has received extra funding to help us to tackle potholes, we’ve received just over £155,000 in additional to an earlier grant of £225,000.
"This will be used to tackle potholes that have developed over the winter. This is in addition to further preventative works which are programmed for the spring."
The figures were revealed following a Freedom Of Information request.
However the injuries did not all occur during the four year period.
In some cases it took several years for compensation to be settled, with one injury from 2014 resulting in a settlement being made during the 2016/17 financial year.
The spokesman said the size of injury claims paid out has increased in recent years due to the introduction of a national claims portal.
Sandwell Council paid out £5,250 in compensation in 2013/14, £9,771.45 in 2014/15, £23,695.99 in 2015/16 and £25,415 in 2016/17.
The figures were revealed after it was announced the Government will pledge a further £100 million on tackling potholes and repairing storm damage in England.
Transport secretary Chris Grayling said an 'unusually prolonged spell of freezing weather' had caused damage to local roads.
The money will help repair almost two million potholes and protect roads from further bad weather, the Department for Transport said.
