COUNCILS in Scotland have paid out almost £1.8 million in compensation to motorists whose vehicles have been damaged by potholes, according to new figures.
The statistics, which cover the last five years, were revealed by the Scottish Conservatives following a Freedom of Information request.
The party branded the figures “astonishing” and said the seven-figure bill was “just the tip of the iceberg”.
The data shows that Scottish local authorities paid out a total of £1,738,966 in compensation for pothole damage between 2006/07 and 2010/11.
The country’s largest local authority, Glasgow City Council, topped the list with payouts amounting to £355,530.
The amount it has handed over has risen in recent years, hitting a high of more than £197,000 in 2010/11. By comparison, the same local authority paid out just under £20,000 in 2007/08.
Edinburgh City Council’s five-year compensation total stands at £188,331. In 2010/11 it paid out £21,964, compared with almost £78,000 in 2006/07.
South Lanarkshire and Aberdeen Councils also found their five-year bills reached six figures, at £215,473 and £114,780 respectively.
According to the figures, Western Isles Council has made no pothole damage payouts over the last five years. Figures from Renfrewshire Council were not available.
Commenting on the statistics, the Scottish Tories’ deputy leader, Jackson Carlaw MSP, said: “This is an astonishing level of compensation paid out by local authorities in Scotland to motorists and the £2 million bill is just the tip of the iceberg, as there will be many motorists who won’t have claimed for damage from their local authorities.
“Furthermore the compensation bill is only part of the cost of dealing with the claims as councils will spend vast sums of time and money dealing with each individual claim.
“The shocking state of our roads is a reality that every motorist and councillor knows only too well and that is why we proposed a Road Maintenance Fund in the recent Scottish elections to help fix the problem.”
Article by:
Hilary Duncanson
Press Association
