Huge cost of Shropshire potholes revealed – but council criticises 'marketing campaign' behind the data

The county's road were a major issue at Shropshire Council last local elections in 2021, with the new administration embarking on a programme of repairs after taking office.

But, figures revealed in a freedom of information request confirm the size of the challenge when it comes to potholes on the authority's roads.

Details, from Select Car Leasing, which has been examining the state of pothole damage claims across the country, show the cost of the situation to Shropshire Council.

In the last three years the council has paid out a total of £403,000 for pothole compensation.

The figures in each year have fluctuated, but the most recent pay out was the highest – with £145,080 from 2021 to 2022, £95,769 from 2022 to 2023, and £162,514 in the most recent payouts from 2023 to 2024.

The total means Shropshire Council has the fourth highest payout for local authorities across the country over that time-frame – only behind East Sussex County Council – £549,819, Wiltshire Council – £474,032, and Cambridgeshire County Council – £471,325.

Motorists should however be thankful that Shropshire Council also seems more likely to pay out for damage compared to other authorities.

The council has the highest number of payouts for complaints, with 1,361 of the 1,949 complaints raised resulting in compensation.

Responding to the figures Shropshire Council criticised the way they had been collated, saying because drivers have six years to claim for damage, the data does not accurately reflect the state of the county's roads in the year of the payout.

A spokesman for the authority also spoke of the difficulties faced due to a lack of funding for the council – while pointing to two national awards received this year for work to improve the county's highways maintenance.

He said: "The simplicity of the table undermines the complexity of the subject in each stated year, which may actually include claims for the previous six years. Shropshire Council is not in control of which year a claimant elects to submit a claim, therefore the figures set out in the table are more reflective of the leasing company's marketing campaign, than in-year highway defects.

"Shropshire Council’s highways assets have suffered from long-term funding issues. In spite of this we have won two national awards this year alone for our work to revolutionise highways maintenance in Shropshire, which recognises and demonstrates the work we carry out with our partners and contractors to maintain the county’s road in the most effective and efficient way."

Graham Conway, managing director at Select Car Leasing, said the firm’s findings painted a bleak picture across the country.

He said: “Our research shows that enormous amounts of money have been paid out by already-beleaguered councils in order to compensate motorists for damage to their vehicles caused by potholes. That’s money that could be used for general road maintenance.

“And those vast sums are just the tip of the iceberg, with countless motorists either failing in their attempts to claim compensation or who simply choose not to claim in the first place.”

The data shows Shropshire Council has the highest proportion of complaints relative to the number of licensed drivers. With just over 46,000 licensed drivers in the area, 4.4 percent have filed a complaint about potholes and sought compensation.

Mr Conway added: “Make no mistake, potholes can cause serious damage to your car or van, from buckled alloy wheels and flat tyres to more severe issues with crucial suspension components.

“To make a claim, it’s important to make note of the road where the damage occurred, along with any relevant markers or features that identify the specific location. Additional photos, along with details of when the damage occurred are also useful. Check which authority is responsible for the road and contact your local council for more details about compensation.”