Leicester City Council pothole compensation bill soars by 55%

Leicester City Council has said that it will pay out almost half-a-million pounds in compensation claims for vehicle damage caused by potholes in the road in the current financial year, up by more than 55% on the year before.

The authority told Local Government Lawyer that it expects the final bill for compensation claims for vehicle damage and personal injury to be £465,000 to the end of the present financial year, compared with £300,000 last year. Of this figure, more than £326,000 is for claimants' solicitors’ fees, defence fees and associated costs such as medical reports, investigation and physiotherapy, with £139,000 actually paid to claimants themselves.

The council's spiralling compensation bill for damage and injuries caused by potholes has forced Leicester City Council to ask the government for financial assistance. The council has also received an extra £1.2m from the Department of Transport to help with the increased damage to its highways and a further grant of £207,000 from other government sources.

As in many parts of the country, Leicester's roads have been severely affected by months of cold temperatures, frost and snow, resulting in the potholes and other damage. More than 200 residents have called the local newspaper's 'Pothole Hotline' to report damaged roads near their homes in last month alone.