Hull City Council has paid out over half a million pounds in compensation for claims made against it for ‘dodgy pavements’, manholes, and potholes since 2020, new figures show.
The Highways Act 1980 states councils and local authorities have a duty of care to ensure the safety of people using public spaces, such as parks and footpaths. If they fail to do this, councils can be sued for compensation if injuries do occur.
Figures obtained by Accident Claims Advice show that that since 2020, Hull City Council has had 380 claims for pedestrian accidents lodged against it. From the claims launched since 2020, 86 were settled with compensation from which the council has paid out £523,656.02, with the highest amount coming in 2021, standing at £137,176.40. Of the 380 claims lodged against the council, 203 related to footway defects.
A solicitor from JF Law, who specialise in injury claims has said: “These accidents are often caused by preventable factors, such as poorly maintained roads and pavements or inadequate signage and lighting.
“It is vital that councils are held accountable for their negligence in these cases. Victims of these accidents may face extensive medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and loss of income.
“The claims that are lodged against councils not only help victims secure the financial compensation they need but also serve as a crucial step towards ensuring that local authorities maintain safer pedestrian environments.”
Responding to this data, a Hull City Council spokesperson: “Significant investment has been made to improve the council’s highway network in recent years including an additional annual investment of £600k in our footpath network. This level of investment will continue moving forward. The council will always endeavour to secure further investment from central Government whenever possible, assisting in the management of repair work required.
“Hull City Council follows the Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice when monitoring and maintaining its own highway network, which is the same approach adopted by other local authorities across the country. We encourage members of the public to contact the council with any potholes or damage to footways they become aware of. This can be done online at hull.gov.uk or by calling 01482 300 300.”
By: Andrew Spence, LDRS
