VIDEO: Derbyshire driver’s fury at pothole damage

A driver has hit out at “poor road maintenance” after a deep pothole damaged his car.
Potholes.Potholes.
Potholes.

John Thompson was driving along Common Lane in Shirebrook when he struck the large crater, wrecking one of his new alloy wheels.

VIDEO: Click ‘play’ to see footage of John’s ruined wheel

John wrote to Derbyshire County Council in a bid to claim compensation for the damage.

Potholes.Potholes.
Potholes.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However, he was unsuccessful – with the council insisting it could not have repaired the pothole as it didn’t know about it in the first place.

John said: “I worked hard to save for the wheels and they’d only been fitted for two weeks when this happened.

“The wheel was ruined by the council’s lack of proper road maintenance.

“I’m now having to save up to get it repaired and this could cost up to £140.

“The council should be held accountable.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In a letter to John after January’s incident, the council said: “We have investigated your claim and do not feel able to offer you any form of compensation.

“The council has a duty to maintain this road but it is generally accepted in law that we meet this requirement by making inspections at reasonable intervals dependant on the usage of the road.

“The road in question is inspected regularly but unfortunately the defect to which you refer occurred in between inspections and as such the council could not have been expected to be aware of it.

“While we sympathise that your vehicle has been damaged in this way, we do not consider that the council has been negligent and therefore cannot be held liable in this instance.”

Visit HERE to make the council aware of potholes.