FOI Request - Pothole Percentages Claims and Repairs
Request 101003549875
The National Highways definition of the Local Road Network is that portion of the Road Network for which a Local Government is responsible, and is eligible for funding from the State Government to operate and maintain.
With this in mind, for the last calendar year (January 2023 - Dec 2023) or last full year for which you have recorded figures, please would you disclose:
1a) the percentage of compensation claims, brought by drivers for vehicle damage from potholes in your Local Road Network, which were not paid out by your council.
i.e. the total number of claims submitted to your council for pothole-related vehicle damage, versus the total number of claims paid out by your council.
b) your council's criteria for compensating, or not compensating, a driver who brings such a claim.
For reference, please find an example of the information I am requesting, here: https://www.sunderland.gov.uk/media/31141/HighwayClaimsData/pdf/Highway_Claims_Data.pdf?m=1699722169190
2. The percentage of potholes - identified by or reported to your council by any individual, public or council member - which were subsequently fixed, across your local road network.
Response 08-05-2024
1.a)
| Financial Year | Number of Claims submitted | Number of claims paid | Claims still ongoing | Amount of claims paid out | % of claims not paid |
| 2023 | 59 | 5 | 12 | £734.09 | 92% |
Please Note: Payments are reimbursements for damage/loss through insurance – not compensation
b) Not held - unable to answer. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.
2. Between January 2023 and December 2023 - based on enquiries that were classified as a carriageway defect (this could be an enquiry about 1 or more defects per enquiry) 92% of the enquiries have either been repaired or were closed off as a duplicate of a known defect.