This is how much East Sussex Highways paid to drivers for pothole damage over the last 5 years
The compensation paid to drivers for pothole damage by East Sussex Highways over the last five years has been revealed.
The data was published following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by a resident.
Dr Barry Snape, from Hastings, said he was awarded compensation after the steering rack on his car was damaged due to a pothole.
He said he received £1,193.40 in compensation after damage caused on the northbound carriageway of The Ridge, Hastings, opposite the Esso petrol station on January 25.
He said: “Having recently been awarded full compensation for pothole damage to my wife’s car, under East Sussex Highways’ Public Liability Claim procedure, I submitted a Freedom of Information request regarding trends in such claims over each of the past five years.
“East Sussex County Council confirmed that the number of claims submitted is increasing year on year, with four times the number of claims submitted in 2023/24 compared to the figure for 2020/21.
“The value of claims settled increased in proportion over the period, costing £375,000 of local taxpayers’ money in 2023/24.”
According to the data the number of claims submitted in 2020/21 was 442. In 2023/24 it was 2,058. It was 993 in 2024/25.
The value of claims settled in 2023/24 totalled £375,864.
In 2024/25 the total had dropped, which was £57,733.
The total value of claims settled over the last five years was £639,577, according to the data.
An East Sussex Highways spokesperson said: “Like highways authorities up and down the country, we have seen an increase in potholes in recent years due to the more severe weather we have experienced. Last year alone we repaired more than 20,000 potholes.
“If damage to vehicles occurs, motorists are entitled to make a compensation claim which is carefully assessed. A large number of claims are rejected because we have carried out our duty to inspect and repair potholes within the timeframes set out in the council’s policies and the Highways Act 1980.
“As well as the money spent on repairs to potholes and road defects that present an immediate safety risk, we carry out a significant amount of planned maintenance to prevent potholes forming in the first place including patching, surface dressing and resurfacing of roads.
“Information about how and when we repair potholes and how East Sussex Highways deals with compensation claims is published on our website - www.eastsussexhighways.com.”