Cardiff Council has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on settling insurance claims from drivers, pedestrians and cyclists due to highway defects over the past four years. While the total number of property damage and personal injury claims relating to their roads and pavements is decreasing, a freedom of information (FOI) request showed the council still shelled out over £435,000 in just four years.
The FOI request made by the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed the statistics on the third party insurance claims made against the council. They also showed that the single biggest amount that the council had been forced to pay out over the past four years in relation to highway defects was £20,000.
The response showed that Cardiff Council has paid £435,462 in compensation as a result of highway defects between January, 2019, and May, 2023. The figure paid out by the council decreased nearly every year since 2019. However, there is a deviation from the pattern in the statistics during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2021, when the amount paid by the council increased from £86,714 to £115,564.
Read more: 'Council official reveals the major challenge of keeping Cardiff's roads and pavements in good condition'
The total number of claims received by the council as a result of highway defects between January, 2019, and May, 2023, has decreased from 373 to 155. Cardiff Council revealed at an environmental scrutiny committee meeting last month that its highways team was facing an increase in demand for its services and an increase in costs.
The findings come not long after Cardiff Council revealed that it had a huge task on its hands to keep the city's roads and pavements in good condition amid significant budgetary pressures and increased demand for services. A Cardiff Council spokesperson said: "In the UK, there is a national backlog of road repairs in the region of £12bn.
"The Council inspects the highway network in line with all legislation. (The Code of Practice for Highway Maintenance Management and the requirements of the Highways Act 1980). Looking specifically at the figures for insurance claims in Cardiff, it shows that there has been a gradual reduction in the number of claims made and money paid out in compensation since 2019, which is encouraging."
The local authority is also faced with the reality of having to bridge a £24 million budget gap. A report published ahead of the meeting on Thursday, May 11, states: "It is likely that the fewer repairs and improvements will be undertaken resulting in an [increase] in 3rd party insurance claims and customer satisfaction falling." Other challenges that the highways team faces include external pressures like traffic growth and changing environmental conditions.
The council spokesperson added: "The council uses the resources available to best effect by carrying out a variety of road works across the highway network including reconstruction, re-surfacing, surface patching and treatments as well as temporary repairs to potholes. Potholes are repaired temporarily until a long term solution can be provided - which requires more extensive patching or resurfacing of the road.
"Legitimate compensations claims are settled by the local authority. Any claims which are deemed to be fraudulent are investigated with a view of taking the matter to court." The FOI also revealed that the total amount of compensation paid by the council as a result of highways defects in 2022 was £101,608. The single biggest amount paid out in third party insurance claims as a result of damage to property and personal injury in relation to highway defects in that year was £17,015.
READ NEXT:
Teenagers killed in Ely bike crash died from head injuries, inquest opening hears
'I was nearly in tears' - local councillors open up on the aftermath of Ely bike crash
Cardiff’s hidden bollard artwork to be restored after being stolen
Owners of two of Wales' best pubs announce expansion with new restaurant
Man fined for driving to Bristol Airport through Clean Air Zone he knew nothing about
What is happening where you live? Find out by adding your postcode or visit InYourArea
