CLAIMS for pothole compensation against Gloucestershire County Council has seen a rise of more than double in the last three years.

An investigation by Accident Claims Advice revealed claims against the Council for pothole damage have risen by a staggering 120 per cent since 2021.

The data obtained by Accident Claims Advice found the local authority had 1,705 legal claims lodged against it regarding potholes in the last three years, with the figure increasing from 293 claims in 2021/22 to 645 last year. In 2023, the Council paid out a record £8,095.46 settling 11 pothole damage claims.

Beverly Faulkner, Public Liability specialist at Accident Claims Advice, 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.”

The local authority says it has paid out more than £15K in compensation settling pothole damage claims. Gloucestershire Council also confirmed it had 1,234 potholes in need of repair at the beginning of the year.

The news comes as the number of roads being left unrepaired by UK councils has now hit record levels.

According to the latest Department for Transport data, 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.