Councils in the North East paid over £330K in compensation for pothole damage between 2022-2024, according to new data.
A company called ACA found these numbers. Councils paid out on 657 claims during that period. Northumberland paid the most, about £255,000. North Tyneside paid the least at around £9,000.
South Tyneside paid over £14,500. Gateshead paid almost £17,000. Durham paid a similar amount, also over £14,500. Newcastle paid about £23,400. Sunderland paid just over £4,200.
These same councils paid out over £3 million since 2015! Northumberland Council disagreed with ACA’s numbers, though. They think something might be flawed with the data comparing it to other councils.
Northumberland says they handle claims very well and even shared their methods with other councils. In 2023, they had a low number of insurance claims.
Durham Council says they repair most potholes fast. This lets them refuse about 95% of claims. Newcastle Council says they fix roads regularly.
Newcastle says they only have limited funds from the government. They prioritize the most urgent repairs with the funds they have for repairs.