AN angry motorist has hit out at Warrington’s highway chiefs after council insurers refused to pay out for damage caused when his car hit a large pothole on a recently re-surfaced road.
Mark Buckley struggled to keep control of his Audi car after it hit the pothole on Heath Road, Croft, Warrington, when he was driving towards Culcheth with his partner and daughter.
The car suffered two ripped tyres and damaged alloys, causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage.
“I was very fortunate that I didn’t lose control of the vehicle,” said Marks who runs a telecommunications company based at the Taylor Business Park, Risley.
“Fortunately no one was injured – but it could have been a lot worse.
“I think it is a disgrace that only two weeks earlier the road had been resurfaced at both ends, but this sizeable pothole and others had been left to endanger road users.
“I was very fortunate that I was able to stop safely and that no further damage was caused to the vehicle and most importantly those in it!
“I can’t believe the council insurers are saying they are not liable.”
A council spokesperson said:”We’re very sorry that this gentleman suffered damage to his car. But we’re unable to admit his claim because the council was not at fault.
“The council does have a robust inspection process for our roads, but even so some deterioration will occur in some places between inspections. The law is clear that it would be unreasonable to expect the council to know about every pothole as soon as it appears.
“We’re always grateful when people report potholes to us, and we would urge regular users of a particular stretch of road who spot damage occurring to let us know. People can report potholes online by going to www.warrington.gov.uk/potholes. Also the council has a smartphone app to help make it even easier for people to report potholes, just by visiting our website via their phones.
“Roads do continuously deteriorate and there will sometimes be additional wear and tear adjacent to a repair.”
Pictures show the damaged vehicle and the offending pot hole.
6 Comments
Theres no way that hole caused that level of damage!
The picture doesn't show very well the depth of the hole. Also please notice where the pothole had been partially repaired leaving a sharp edge which is what I believe is what caused the damage.
agreed not a chance in hell that has ripped 2 tyres and damaged alloy wheels ! Trying it on me thinks !
It's a disgrace! It's common lane in Culcheth! It's a danger to drivers and local people crossing the road. Sorry what do we pay tax's for again??
It should surprise no one the Council’s insurers refused to accept the claim. Lack of accountability or failing to accept responsibility for one’s actions or lack thereof is now so ingrained in the LA psyche, that it has spread throughout the system. Of course they are always grateful when people report potholes because they are not on top of the job. You have only look at some recent repairs carried out this past year to see why we continue to have potholes aplenty. Many repairs were and are inadequate.
The roads in this Town and its surrounding areas are a disgrace…. they hike the council tax up every year to cover their pension liabilities and to pay for provisions for cyclists and pedestrians but ignore the most numerous of road users; the drivers….. The council should be made to put up warning signs on roads badly affected with holes as they do with the red route accident signs (which never change their statistics I’ve noticed so are technically out of date after the first year) and for the 20mph limits which create a forest of 20 and 30 signs everywhere…. Of course they are liable…. how could they not be?