New figures uncovered by the BBC show more than £2m has been paid out in pothole compensation claims by Transport for London in the last three years.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show TfL awarded £1.7m in 2022-23, compared to £310,000 the previous year. It adds just £85,000 was allocated last year.

It adds TfL reported a rise in potholes from 804 in 2021-22 to 945 in 2022-23 but was unable to record figures for 2023-24 due to a cyber-attack.

Rod Dennis, the RAC motoring group’s safety spokesman, told the BBC: “With pothole compensation claims up 42% year-on-year, these figures are a stark reminder that poor local road conditions continue to burn a hole in the budgets of local authorities and drivers.”

The BBC says the new data also showed that the number of pothole claims received by TfL last year reached 229. In 2021-22, it was 166, falling slightly to 161 in 2022-23.

(Picture – Highways News)