Stephen Hammond: Ministers To Investigate Potholes And Highway Repairs

Road investments could lead to a fall in the number of road traffic accident claims made against local authorities.

Speaking at the Westminster Energy, Environment and Transport Forum event on June 11th, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport Stephen Hammond announced that the government has given English councils more than £3 billion for highway maintenance.

Furthermore, an £800 million-per-year road maintenance programme saw 850 major projects undertaken to improve the state of the UK’s highways, he added.

Local authorities must use this money properly to deal with potholes and other potential issues, Mr Hammond remarked, adding that they should also get as much value for money in their initiatives as possible.

He argued that councils should create a “whole life approach” when developing strategies to maintain local roads, noting this should prevent expensive problems from arising in the first place.

Mr Hammond said he will be discussing these issues with his colleague Norman Baker in the immediate future.

Road accident claims against local authorities

It is unfeasible to assume that local authorities will be able to deal with every single pothole, and this view has been taken by the Courts in England when determining the value of pothole claims. As a result, people can only succeed in road accident claims against local authorities when a clear legal liability is considered to exist.

If a council or the Highways Agency believes it has kept a particular roadway in a safe manner, pothole compensation claims could be rejected. As a result, if maintenance regimes have been properly adhered to, these organisations will therefore defend a claim.

Making a pothole compensation claim

If your vehicle has become damaged or you have sustained a personal injury due to potholes, then you can make a pothole compensation claim. Clearwater Solicitors can help you claim against local authorities, giving you the best possible chance of receiving all the money you deserve.

For more information, or to start a claim today, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. Simply call us on 08000 430 430 or fill in our online enquiry form.