In a landmark case, an unnamed man has been awarded a staggering seven figure sum in compensation for injuries caused by a pothole.
The payout is believed to be one of the largest ever awarded for a pothole-related incident in Britain. This high-profile case has drawn attention to the dire state of the nation’s roads, with many residents expressing their frustration at the lack of repairs.
After enduring a four-year legal battle, the victim received the exact sum of £1,188,565.25 from the Labour-run Welsh government.
A recent Freedom of Information Act request revealed that dozens of people have filed claims for vehicle damage or personal injuries resulting from potholes over the past five years. The Welsh government has settled 11 claims for pothole-related vehicle damage and an additional two claims for personal injuries during this period.
Leading pothole campaigner Mark Morrell has urged individuals living in areas with numerous potholes to report them promptly. He said, “I am sick to death of hearing from government and authorities saying repairing potholes is a priority then do very little to tackle the issue of our failing roads network.
“Filling in potholes is a waste of taxpayers’ money. Until there is a properly funded roads resurfacing programme put in place things will get worse.”
The Powys County Council has acknowledged the state of the road and stated that a road inspection conducted in April identified some minor maintenance defects, which will be repaired when resources allow.
Larger resurfacing repairs will be proposed for future funding from appropriate budgets, according to a council spokesperson.
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