An FOI submitted to Southwark Council has revealed from 2021 to 2023:
Number of potholes jump from 914 to 1653
Time lag for potholes being reported to being fixed went from 220 days to 398 days
Compensation payouts due to potholes exploded from £24,700 to £198,715
This information comes as the council continues with its ‘Streets for People’ strategy, which aims to make Southwark’s public spaces more accessible and open to active travel.
The AA reported that pothole-related breakdowns reached a 5 year high this summer, and Road Safety GB claimed that potholes ‘now pose a severe risk to life’, due to the major hazard they pose.
But campaign groups such as Cycling UK have pointed out that potholes pose the most serious safety risk to cyclists, with 15% of cyclists going through Cycling UK’s legal services being injured due to road defects.
The danger only becomes worse in winter – not only is it darker and harder to see them, but water, leaves, and ice can hide potholes.
Commenting, Southwark Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson Cllr Graham Neale said:
“These statistics will be no surprise to those who use our roads often, on two wheels or four. Once again we see that Labour’s warm words about streets for people are all they can offer. Residents in Southwark deserve safe roads that don’t put anyone in danger, and they’re being let down.”
