Pensioner left without a car after Ashfield pothole 'obliterates tyre'

Carol Rogers, 62, has criticised Nottinghamshire County Council and Via East Midlands, which maintains the county's roads, after learning it could take weeks to receive compensation for damaged caused by a pothole in Selston.

It comes after her £45,000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which she had only had for eight months, was badly damaged by a pothole in Park Lane, Selston.

Carol has said the damage to the "obliterated tyre" was so extreme that she could fit her hand in the hole.

She said her car collided with the pothole with a "bang" and that she was unable to avoid it due to an oncoming lorry.

The Station Road resident said: "As far as I'm aware, the pothole has still not been filled - if a bike hits it I am positive it would kill them.

"When I rang to report the pothole, they said someone would call me back and they didn't.

"It also took three days for the claimant form to arrive.

"What am I meant to do without a car?"

Carol also said she needs the car to drive her mother-in-law to visit her ill husband at King's Mill Hospital every day.

Carol ,who has Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.), cannot walk for long distances.

She said: "I might not even get compensation and I am stuck in the house."

In the form, it states that it could take 21 days for the council to acknowledge the claim and then 40 working days to decided whether to accept it.

Nigel Stevenson, service director for finance, said: “This particular claim has not yet been received by our team. However, we always aim to give a liability decision on all claims for damage to vehicles caused by potholes within 40 days, which is the timeframe in line with Government guidance.

"In many cases though, a decision is made in a shorter timescale.

“As with any claim of this nature, we need the time to fully investigate the circumstances and liaise with Via East Midlands, which manage the county’s highways on the council’s behalf. This is taxpayers money and we must be completely satisfied as to the circumstances before any payment is made.”