Council pays out tens of thousands in compensation for cars damaged by potholes in Milton Keynes
New data has revealed that Milton Keynes Council has paid out nearly £40,000 in compensation to people affected by potholes since 2022.
According to figures obtained by Personal Injury Claims UK, the council faced 486 pothole-related claims covering local roads over a three-year period.
The highest number of cases was brought in 2023/24 with 207 claims, while the largest financial payout, totalling £18,763.44, was also recorded during this period.
The UK is thought to have more than one million potholes, which are among the leading causes of car breakdowns. Currently, the Government has a pot of £1.6 billion to tackle the problem until the end of 2026.
Patrick Mallon, a solicitor at legal firm JF Law, said: “Across the UK, we’ve seen a sharp increase in the number of potholes damaging roads and highways, particularly in the colder, wetter months.
“These defects might appear minor at first glance, but they can cause significant damage to vehicles, costing hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds to repair. In some cases, particularly for motorcyclists or cyclists, potholes can even lead to serious accidents and injuries.
Potholes are formed when water seeps into cracks in a road’s surface, and the expansion and contraction of this water, combined with the stress of traffic, breaks down the pavement.
This process is accelerated by factors such as poor drainage, old or improperly laid asphalt, and damage from utility work.
These hazards can prove dangerous for cyclists and motorists as, on average, 15 people every month are killed or left with life-changing injuries in a crash caused by the poor state of the roads.
In addition to potential injuries, potholes can cause significant damage to vehicles, including punctures, bulges, bends, and cracks.
It has been reported that the cost of repairing vehicles damaged by potholes reached a record £579 million in 2024.
And according to the RAC Pothole Index, it is estimated that there are around six potholes per mile on council-controlled roads in England and Wales.
Over the 12 months to the end of September 2025, drivers were direct victims of potholes on a total of 25,758 occasions. This represented an 11% increase from 23,147 during the same period the previous year.
On average, the RAC attended 71 pothole-related breakdowns a day over this period, up from 68 a day over the previous 12 months.
Speaking to Personal Injury Claims UK, Patrick Mallon said: "Local councils are legally responsible for maintaining safe roads under the Highways Act 1980, which means they must inspect and repair road surfaces within a reasonable time frame.
“When they fail to do so, and that neglect results in vehicle damage or injury, motorists are entitled to seek compensation."Many councils are working with limited resources, leading to delays in identifying and fixing these hazards, and that’s contributing to the steady rise in pothole-related incidents we’re now seeing nationwide.”
He added: “Submitting a claim not only helps recover your repair costs but also puts pressure on local authorities to address recurring problem areas more effectively.
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