9:30am Friday 12th March 2010
By Jane Reader
NO drivers in Dorset have been compensated for pothole damage this year despite claims rising by up to 300 per cent.
Furious motorists are demanding answers after inquiries revealed Dorset, Poole and Bournemouth councils have not paid out a penny this year.
In the Dorset County Council area there were 218 claims made between November 1 2009 and March 1 2010, with an average claim of £287.
This compares with 110 claims in the previous year, during which three were paid out and 59 claims the year before when five were paid.
Poole council was informed of 263 carriageway defects in January and February this year and Bournemouth received 690 reports of damage in a 12-week period from December 1 and 18 claims since Christmas.
Angry driver Mark Rylands spent £600 on repairs to his van when the steering and suspension were wrecked when he allegedly drove into a pothole in Acland Road in Charminster. His claim has been refused.
“I had my four-year-old son with me and had to fight the keep the van in control” said Mr Rylands, of Rylands Removals. “My van was off the road for two weeks so I lost business.
“The pothole has since been repaired and I have been told I will not receive any money which is outrageous. I am not looking for financial gain – I just want the money back that I lost because of the state of the road.”
All three councils said they cannot discuss individual claims, which are in the hands of their insurers. A spokesman for Dorset said: “This financial year we have seen around a 35 per cent increase in the number of potholes and other carriageway defects compared to last year – the number of potholes has been severely exacerbated by the freezing conditions experienced during the winter.” He said the most serious potholes are repaired within 32 hours and less urgent damage within 28 days.
Steve Tite of Poole added: “Repairs are undertaken as quickly as possible. Potholes are still forming – there will inevitably be some delay before they are all dealt with. We would ask road users to bear with us and be extra vigilant when using the roads.”
Bournemouth council has recently announced a £2.5 million programme to repair defects to the borough’s roads. This will start next month. A spokesman for the council was unavailable for comment.
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