ESSEX County Council has spent £148m on road maintenance and pothole repairs and has seen a staggering rise in the number of compensation claims lodged against it for damage caused by the craters in the last three years it is claimed.

As Britain’s ‘pothole crisis’ hits record levels, an investigation by Accident Claims Advice has revealed claims against the Council for damage caused by the craters have risen by 96 per cent since 2021.

In the last three years, the local authority has spent £148.2 million on road maintenance as well as forking out a further £136K in compensation claims. 

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

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, according to the latest Department for Transport (DfT) data. 

New data obtained by Accident Claims Advice (ACA) via Freedom of Information requests has found that the local authority has had a staggering 5,895 legal claims lodged against it regarding potholes in the last three years with the figure increasing from 1,127 claims in 2022 to 2,206 last year.

In 2023, the Council settled a record number forking out £69,909.74 in compensation settling 164 pothole claims.

ACA’s Public Liability specialist, Beverly Faulkner 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.”

Across Britain, pothole-plagued minor roads have fallen to their lowest level on record.

Steve Gooding, the director of the RAC Foundation, said: “The number of cars is increasing, traffic volume is increasing, the number of potholes is increasing, the only thing not increasing seems to be the amount of money being spent on maintaining our local roads, which everyone in the country relies on whether they drive or not.”

Essex Council’s spending on pothole repairs has actually increased year on year from £43.5m spent between 2021/22 to £57.2m last year (2023/24).

The UK Treasury announced in the Budget in October that total local road maintenance funding in 2025/26 will be nearly £1.6bn, representing a £500m uplift compared with the previous 12 months.

More than £244m was allocated specifically for local authorities in the East of England.

Prime Minister, Kier Starmer said in December: “Broken roads can risk lives and cost families hundreds if not thousands of pounds on repairs. That’s a cost that can easily be avoided by investing properly in our roads.

“That’s why we’re giving councils funding to repair our roads and get Britain moving again – with a clear expectation that they get on with the job.”

Accident Claims Advice offers help, support and advice for anyone who has suffered injuries or damages to properties caused by potholes.

They operate a 24-hour helpline and live chat service which you can access on their website.