Claims taxpayers 'footing the bill' in compensation payouts as Central Bedfordshire potholes hit three-year high

Between 2023/24 and 2025/26, the council registered a whopping 19,126 potholes – and paid out £189,186.99 in successful claims.

And Personal Injury Solicitors, JF Law, which obtained the figures through Freedom of Information requests to Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC), says the figures reveal a "profound infrastructure failure".

But councillor John Baker, executive member for highways at CBC, said maintaining the area's potholes remains a "priority" for the council – and that it is investing almost £20 million in highway repairs and improvements this year.

Tracy Chick, road and traffic accident manager at JF Law, said: “Every year, motorists and cyclists are forced to navigate dangerously degraded roads, and the mounting injury claims and repair bills point to a clear failure in highway maintenance.

“What starts as a seemingly minor lack of road upkeep frequently escalates into severe financial hardship for drivers or, tragically, devastating accidents.

"We regularly speak to people whose lives have been upended by a single overlooked pothole that resulted in critical physical injuries or written-off vehicles. The burden of fixing these mistakes is falling on the shoulders of the public, and that simply isn't right.”

The figures show that in 2023 to 2024, the council logged 6,272 potholes. And while this fell to 5,104 in 2024/25, it had risen to 7,750 by 2025/26.

A JF Law spokesman claimed: "Strikingly, the council conceded it does not hold specific data on how much taxpayer money is spent repairing these individual defects. Their financial records cannot separate pothole expenditure from overall maintenance.

"Despite missing repair costs, the terrible state of the carriageways has resulted in severe financial penalties. Central Bedfordshire taxpayers funded massive compensation payouts for victims of these highly hazardous roads."

According to the figures, the council paid out £30,286.01 in 2023/24 – but by 2024/25 it had risen to £71,199.43, and in 2025/26 it hit £87,701.55.

But Central Bedfordshire is not alone in its struggles. Elsewhere in the East of England, Suffolk County Council recorded an astonishing 50,987 potholes.

Nottingham City Council logged a massive 93,053 total defects – underscoring the "severe widespread failure" of highway maintenance across the entire country.

Tracey added: “Councils have a strict legal duty to keep our highways safe and fit for purpose. When they fail in that duty, the public should never have to foot the bill. We strongly urge anyone who has suffered a loss or injury due to defective roads to understand their rights.

“You can hold local authorities accountable, and seeking professional legal guidance is often the most effective way to ensure you are fully compensated for their negligence.”

Cllr Baker, said: "We recognise the impact potholes can have on road users and maintaining Central Bedfordshire's highways remains a priority for the council.

"Our Highways Service manages more than 1,400km of roads and repairs are carried out in line with an intervention plan set against national standards.

"Like councils across the country, we continue to face the challenge of maintaining local roads following years of pressure on highway maintenance funding. Rising costs and increasingly severe weather have added further pressure on road networks nationwide.

"Despite a £17 million reduction in the funding available to the council as a result of changes to local government funding arrangements, we are investing almost £20 million in highway repairs and improvements this year. This represents an increase on last year's investment and has only been made possible through careful financial management and our commitment to prioritising the services that matter most to residents.

"A record of which councillors voted for the council's annual budget, and hence the money to repair the roads, can be found in the February budget meeting minutes available on the council's website.”