A fraction of claims for damage caused by potholes in Glasgow results in a payout, new figures reveal.

While more than one thousand claims are sent to Glasgow City Council each year, only a very small number are accepted.

The city is well below the Scottish average for paying out on claims for pothole-damaged cars.

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Over the last three years, the council was hit with 3537 claims from drivers who had hit a pothole.

Glasgow Times:

However only 45 were accepted and money was paid in compensation, just 1.2% of all submitted claims.

Last year (2021/22) only eight claims out of 1053 were approved with payouts totalling £2,701 made to drivers.

In 2020/21, 10 claims out of a total of 1016 were accepted with £3475 paid out.

The year before, 2019/20 there were 27 claims approved from 1468 and payments made totalling £6197.

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Across Scotland over the same period, there were 13,269 claims to councils and 2057 ended up in payouts, 15.5% of the total.

In most other councils many more claims are paid out, although there are fewer claims made.

In Edinburgh, 1100 claims were made and 125 were paid out, or 11%.

In Aberdeen, 214 claims were made and 81 resulted in a pay out, 38%. 

Dundee however, also had a very low rate and only paid out on two out of 131 claims.

The figures were obtained by the Scottish Conservatives under Freedom of Information.

The party said local government was being underfunded and councils were unable to maintain roads properly.

Graham Simpson,Conservative transport spokesman, said: “The dire condition of our roads is an extremely serious issue.

“Far too many local routes across Scotland are scarred with potholes which damage vehicles and can lead to crashes.

“Scotland’s pock-marked roads require urgent attention, and the SNP ought to commit to establishing the Pothole Action Funds that the Scottish Conservatives have called for.”

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council, said: “All claims are determined on the individual merits of each case and in the context of our policy on road safety inspections and repairs.

“This policy has been developed in accordance with the code of practice set out by the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland, which is followed by other Scottish local authorities.

“The policy means we take a risk-assessed approach to road maintenance that prioritises the most dangerous faults while also seeking to ensure repairs are permanent at the first time of asking .

“Winter is always a challenging time for road conditions due to the impact of frost, snow and rain on the road surface and potholes can appear suddenly at any time.

“The volume and weight of traffic will also have an on-going effect on road surfaces

“Recent data indicated that over 71% of Glasgow’s roads are in an acceptable condition, which places the city among the best performing roads authorities in Scotland.”