Last year drivers in Essex claimed the sixth most pothole compensation payments in the country.

As fed up drivers mark National Pothole Day, LeaseCar have named and shamed the country’s council’s receiving the highest number of compensation requests for vehicles damaged by potholes.

In 2018-19, Essex County Council had to fork out £47,976 in compensation covering 1,841 claims - the sixth most in the UK.

Redbridge and Waltham Forest were two of the lowest in the nation, only receiving bills of less than £1,000 over 32 and 24 claims, respectively.

Redbridge paid out only £302 while Waltham Forest compensated drivers to the tune of £902.

Epping Forest Guardian:

Potholes are caused by water that seeps into tarmac and then expands as temperatures drop below freezing during the winter, cracking the road surface.

Driving over one can jolt and damage a vehicle’s suspension, affect the condition of wheels and in extreme cases even puncture or burst tyres.

A total of 37,578 claims were made across England costing local authorities a whopping £3,520,538.38 in total.

Epping Forest Guardian:

A spokesperson for LeaseCar.uk said: “Potholes aren’t just ugly and inconvenient – they regularly cause damage to vehicles and can be dangerous.

“We understand that many local authorities are strapped for cash and have to tighten their belts, but as motoring specialists we believe road maintenance should be a higher priority that it currently is.

“Taking greater steps to repair and prevent potholes would improve safety for road users and be popular among the voters across the country that councillors are accountable to.

“It could also ultimately reduce councils’ costs by bringing down the number of successful compensation claims by long suffering vehicle owners.

“We’d advise any driver who drives over a significant pothole, or is worried their vehicle may have been damaged, to urgently check their tyres and suspension.”