North London’s Brent Council paid nearly £600k in 5 years due to injuries from potholes and poor pavements.
The highest payout occurred between 2020 and 2021. Brent Council paid over £200,000, covering sixteen separate claims.
The council has a £15 million resurfacing program but says they can only fix a few miles yearly. The council must ensure pedestrian area safety, as failure to do so leads to injury claim payouts. Uneven surfaces and potholes cause many accidents.
Brent Council settled 55 claims over five years, covering all types of pedestrian accidents, including those in parks, leisure centres, and car parks. The total payout was about £593,506, according to figures obtained by Accident Claims Advice.
Pavement defects caused most claims against Brent Council, happening 328 times. Pothole trips caused only 14 claims. 14% of claims against Brent succeeded, more than the national average of 8%. 69 claims are still in progress.
Councils must keep public spaces safe, including parks, roads, and footpaths. If they fail, they can be sued. People must prove the council failed in its duty of care and that this failure caused their injury. People with disabilities are especially affected.
Brent received 105 claims from April 2021 to April 2022, the most over five years. 15 claims were paid, totaling £180,037. Over £139,202 was paid between 2022 and 2023, covering 13 successful claims out of 98.
From 2023 to 2024, the council paid £72,627, settling 11 of 85 claims. Since April 2024, there have been 21 new claims, but no payouts have occurred yet.
Residents on Scarle Road started a petition, wanting the council to fix the pavements. They think the pavements are dangerous, especially for elderly people.
In 2023, Robert Medcalfe fractured his ankle after tripping on a cracked pavement. He warned that the council’s negligence could hurt others.
The council prioritizes pavement repairs, focusing on pavements in poor condition. In 2022/23, Brent spent £5.5 million on road maintenance, repairing 5.7 miles of footpaths. They have a new £11 million maintenance program.
Councillors can choose one road for repairs. They also prioritize repairs based on asset management, scoring factors like claim history, defect history, and councillor nominations to show repair priorities.
A council member, Krupa Sheth, spoke about the council having limited funds and prioritizing urgent repairs. Safety is the top priority, and they are doing a £15 million resurfacing program while continuing repairs with available resources.