Kirklees Council has paid out more than £150,000 in compensation for injuries and property damage caused by potholes over the past 18 months, new figures have revealed.
The figures, obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, show that £134,418 was paid out in 2023, with a further £16,131 so far in 2024. The sharp drop in compensation this year raises questions about how claims are assessed and how the council is managing road maintenance.
At the same time, the council has been investing heavily in road repairs, spending £1.78 million fixing potholes in 2023, and increasing that figure to £2.32 million this year.
When asked about the circumstances in which compensation is awarded and why this year’s figure is so much lower, Cllr Tyler Hawkins, Cabinet Member for Highways and Waste, said: “Kirklees Council takes all claims relating to injury or damage from the adopted highway network seriously and investigates them thoroughly in accordance with our legal responsibilities under the Highways Act 1980.
“In 2023, the council paid compensation on four injury claims arising from potholes, alongside payments for property damage caused by driving over potholes. In 2024 to date, two injury claims have resulted in compensation.”
Cllr Hawkins added that the council runs a legal highways inspection and maintenance regime and handles all claims on a case-by-case basis. He urged residents to report potholes directly through the council’s website to help target problem areas: Report a pothole
Potholes remain a sore point for local residents and motorists. Back in 2022, Kirklees was ranked second worst in the UK for potholes, according to data from Bill Plant Driving School – with only the London borough of Islington faring worse.
To tackle the issue head-on, Kirklees Council is currently carrying out a major surface dressing programme on 60 streets across the borough this summer, which is expected to extend road life by up to 10 years.
The region has also received a share of £48 million in government funding to tackle what has been called the pothole “plague” across Yorkshire and the Humber – with Kirklees expected to benefit from the cash injection.
