FOI request detail

Potholes

Request ID: FOI-0344-1718
Date published: 27 July 2017

You asked
1. The number of potholes reported within your local authority area in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 (to date), broken down by year. 2. The minimum depth and width (in inches or cm) a reported pothole must be in order to be recorded as a pothole by your local authority. 3. The number of potholes repaired within your local authority area in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 (to date), broken down by year. 4. The amount of money the local authority has spent on repairing potholes within your local authority area in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 (to date), broken down by year. 5. The amount of money the local authority has spent in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 (to date), broken down by year, on paying compensation to claimants where vehicle damage was caused by potholes/damaged road surfaces. If restricted by time constraints, please answer the questions in order of priority eg 1, 2, 3.

We answered

TfL Ref: FOI-0344-1718

 

Thank you for your email received on 17 May requesting information about potholes. I apologise for the delay in replying to you.

 

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our Information Access Policy. I can confirm we do hold some of the information you requested. You asked:

 

The number of potholes reported within your local authority area in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 (to date), broken down by year.

 

The number of potholes repaired within your local authority area in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 (to date), broken down by year.

 

The amount of money the local authority has spent in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 (to date), broken down by year, on paying compensation to claimants where vehicle damage was caused by potholes/damaged road surfaces.

 

Year

Potholes Reported

Potholes Repaired

Compensation payments

2014

4,198

4,064

£63,756

2015

3,480

3,480

£38,600

2016

2,688

2,636

£6,367

2017

2,120

2,120

£3,660

 

Please note that the values for compensation payments only reflect settled claims.

 

The minimum depth and width (in inches or cm) a reported pothole must be in order to be recorded as a pothole by your local authority.

The following definition has been taken from our current highways maintenance contract:

 

A pothole defect shall be reported if it is:

  • 20mm or deeper over 100sqcm or more within 1.5m of the kerb or within a formally marked cycle lane, or

  • 30mm or deeper over 100sqcm or more elsewhere

 

 

The amount of money the local authority has spent on repairing potholes within your local authority area in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 (to date), broken down by year.

We are not able to provide a specific breakdown of costs as the majority of our pothole defects are repaired under a lump sum arrangement whereby our contractors are paid a fixed amount for repairing all defects that present a safety risk which will include potholes and many other defects such as localised subsidence, open joints and other non-condition related events such as debris on the carriageway.

 

If this is not the information you are looking for, please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Melissa Nichols

 

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

 

Back to top

Want to make a request?

We'll email you the response within 20 working days.


We'll publish the response online without disclosing any personal information.

Make a request

Something wrong with this request?


If you believe this request is not suitable, you can report it for attention, at foi@tfl.gov.uk