Stoke-on-Trent City Council, a city in England, has paid out nearly £372,000 in compensation to drivers whose vehicles were damaged by potholes over the past four years, according to figures released following a Freedom of Information request.
The council has paid out a total of £371,914 to compensate nearly 1,000 drivers for repairs, with one receiving almost £46,000 in compensation.
A total of 1,308 compensation claims relating to vehicle damage caused by potholes on Stoke-on-Trent’s roads were made against the city council between 2020 and 2024, of which 978 were successful.
The council for Stoke-on-Trent responded by stating that the city’s roads will be fixed over the next few years.
The number of successful claims for pothole damage more than doubled from 171 in 2022/23 to 403 in 2023/24. Still, the total compensation disbursed dropped from £77,892 to £41,524.
The largest compensation award made to a single driver during the period was £45,915 in 2021/22.
A council spokesperson said: “We acknowledge the concerns raised regarding the increase in claims related to pothole damage and the overall condition of Stoke-on-Trent’s roads.
“We want to assure all road users we are committed to addressing the challenges faced by our road network. In line with the recent government announcements, there are plans in place to improve the condition of our roads.”
