West Sussex County Council spent £500,000 in 2008/09 for repairing pot holes on roads. This includes patching repairs and pre-surfacing dressing works.
However a Freedom of Information Request I submitted reveals that 676 pothole claims were made by motorists during January 2008 and March 2009. Out of these claims only 135 were awarded compensation amounting to almost £50,000. March 2009 saw the highest amount of pothole claims ever, totalling 106.
Utility companies have also been leaving roads and pavements in a poor condition following their work. Under the New Roads and Street Works Act, utility companies’ work is guaranteed for up to 3 years. The Freedom of Information Request revealed that routine highways inspections resulted in 795 defective notices being issued by the county council to utility companies during 2008/09. There were 38,151 works in the highway by utility companies resulting in 64,178 openings (individual sites) in the period January 2008 to March 2009.
There were also 198 pavement trip claims between January 2008 and March 2009, though only 4 claims were successful.
I was stunned to discover that West Sussex County Council paid out £50,000 in compensation to motorists for pothole claims. In the context of their £500,000 annual budget for repairing potholes, this represents 10% of the budget which could be spent on additional pothole repairs.”
The constant digging up of roads by utility companies certainly doesn’t help and deteriorates the condition of our highways. Given how much profit these utility companies are making I want to see West Sussex County Council squeeze them for every penny possible if they leave a road in an unsatisfactory condition following their work.
Given the damming insight these figures reveal the local authority obviously has adopted the nickname of West Sussex Chaos Council.
However a Freedom of Information Request I submitted reveals that 676 pothole claims were made by motorists during January 2008 and March 2009. Out of these claims only 135 were awarded compensation amounting to almost £50,000. March 2009 saw the highest amount of pothole claims ever, totalling 106.
Utility companies have also been leaving roads and pavements in a poor condition following their work. Under the New Roads and Street Works Act, utility companies’ work is guaranteed for up to 3 years. The Freedom of Information Request revealed that routine highways inspections resulted in 795 defective notices being issued by the county council to utility companies during 2008/09. There were 38,151 works in the highway by utility companies resulting in 64,178 openings (individual sites) in the period January 2008 to March 2009.
There were also 198 pavement trip claims between January 2008 and March 2009, though only 4 claims were successful.
I was stunned to discover that West Sussex County Council paid out £50,000 in compensation to motorists for pothole claims. In the context of their £500,000 annual budget for repairing potholes, this represents 10% of the budget which could be spent on additional pothole repairs.”
The constant digging up of roads by utility companies certainly doesn’t help and deteriorates the condition of our highways. Given how much profit these utility companies are making I want to see West Sussex County Council squeeze them for every penny possible if they leave a road in an unsatisfactory condition following their work.
Given the damming insight these figures reveal the local authority obviously has adopted the nickname of West Sussex Chaos Council.
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