Council facing pothole trial
A motorist could take Southampton City Council to court after his car incurred £3,000 worth of damages when it hit a pothole.
Dean Harrigan says potholes near a roundabout damaged all four wheels of his £50,000 Mercedes AMG C63, causing buckling and cracks, but the council is refusing to cover the costs.
Speaking to the Southern Daily Echo, he said, ‘It’s disgusting. The roads in the area are in such bad repair. I pay road tax and council tax and that road has caused damage to my car.’
The damage was done in February, and Dean says he hasn’t driven his car since. The potholes have since been repaired, but Dean claims he measured them at 40-50mm deep.
He said, ‘I’ve saved up very hard for a car that I’ve always wanted. I see it every day on the driveway but can’t use it because I don’t want to risk my life in it. The cost of the damage is painful but it is also the insult to me. There must be hundreds of people in the same situation as me and if I don’t stand up to them, no one else will.’
A council spokesman said, ‘We are unable to comment on individual cases, however, we work with our partner organisations on a systematic process of highway safety inspection, defect intervention and repair applied in accordance with our policy.
‘This includes our routine inspection of the highway network, alongside the investigation of defects reported to us by road users. In order for claims for compensation to be considered then there would need to be evidence of negligence.’
