Surrey sees more claims for pothole compensation than anywhere else in UK but only small percentage get payouts

Neil Lancefield, PA Transport Correspondent & Joseph Bickle
·4-min read
Potholes in Surrey (image Surrey Ad)
-Credit: (Image: Reach PLC)


The number of pothole compensation claims made to Surrey County Council more than quadrupled in a year, according to a new national analysis, however only a small percentage of these resulted in a pay out.

Research from the RAC has gathered statistics of pothole compensation claims submitted to 18 local authorities in the UK between 2022 and 2023. The RAC submitted a Freedom of Information request to 21 councils, who cover nearly 92,200 miles of roads, 18 of these councils responded, including Surrey County Council.

The 2023 statistics calculate that Surrey received the equivalent of one pothole claim for every single mile of its 3,410-mile road network.

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According to the RAC, pothole compensation claims in all 18 councils which responded have more than doubled in the space of a year, from 8,327 claims in 2022, to 20,432 claims in 2023.

Of the councils which responded, Surrey County Council has seen the highest increase in pothole compensation claims, from 734 in 2022 to 3,418 in 2023, this is an over 400 per cent increase in the space of a year. Surrey's 2023 claim figure is nearly 1,000 more than the council with the second highest number of claims, which is Hampshire County Council with 2,654 claims.

Additionally, the RAC has found that despite the significant increase in year-on-year claims, 17 of the councils who responded paid out on only 15 per cent of the 20,432 claims submitted by drivers in 2023, in fact, five of these councils paid out a mere 10 per cent of the claims submitted.

Furthermore, the RAC has said that Surrey County Council refused the greatest number of pothole compensation claims last year, turning down 2,954 (86 per cent) of the 3,418 claims they received in 2023.

When reviewing pothole compensation claims figures, it is important to consider that these figures do not equate to the number of potholes a county has on its roads. Different road-users can submit a claim for the same pothole, this is especially true for counties with busy roads, such as in Surrey.

According to statistics by Inrix, the UK has the most congested roads in Europe, in addition according to the Department of Transport, the top five counties with the highest traffic in the UK are all in the South East of England, with Surrey having the fourth highest traffic figures in the UK, and Essex having the highest.

Surrey County Council refused the greatest number of pothole compensation claims last year, turning down 86% (2,954) of the 3,418 claims it received in 2023
Surrey County Council refused the greatest number of pothole compensation claims last year, turning down 86% (2,954) of the 3,418 claims it received in 2023 -Credit:Royal Automobile Club (RAC)

In response to the statistics Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth stressed the importance of considering the congestion Surrey's roads experience which "naturally takes its toll" but said the council is working incredibly hard to improve them. This is reflected in Surrey County Council’s significant investment, with nearly £300m allocated to repairing and improving Surrey’s roads and pavements over the next five years."

RAC head of policy Simon Williams commented on these statistics, saying: "These findings are a stark reminder that the ongoing poor condition of many of the UK’s local roads is burning holes in the budgets of both local authorities and drivers."

Mr Furniss added: "We’re fixing more potholes than previous years with over 32,200 potholes fixed by our highways teams from April – September 2024 alone. We’re now fixing them quicker too - taking on average just three days to complete repairs, compared to seven days in 2023. Following bad weather, we see an increase in potholes forming as is often common during the winter months and we increase our resources to manage this."

The main reason for refusals of pothole compensation claims is that the councils were not aware the pothole existed in the first place, the RAC has stated that seven out of ten claims were refused for this reason.

Commenting on this issue, Matt Furniss said: "Surrey County Council is only liable to pay for damage to vehicles if it can be proved that we have been negligent in the inspection and maintenance of our roads. We carry out inspections of our roads at a frequency that is determined by the priority level of a road."

"Surrey County Council do not settle claims for compensation automatically but will review each claim individually within the appropriate legal framework. We will defend claims if no legal liability exists or if we have a defence under Section 58 of the Highways Act. Of the claims received over the 2023/24 period, 2,279 (86%) were rejected, 269 settled and 92 remain open at this stage."

There is some hope for Surrey and Britain's roads, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves announcing in October an extra £500m a year for local roads maintenance from 2025. This is part of the new Chancellor's first budget in which she argued that potholes have become a symbol of 'national decline'.

The RAC urges drivers to inform their councils about any potholes they are aware of, either via the RAC’s website or using the free Stan app which collects data on the state of UK roads.

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