BCP Council has paid the money to 52 people since its formation in 2019, the Daily Echo can reveal. 

Across 780 miles of roads and pavements managed by BCP Council, the council has filled in nearly 10,000 potholes since its formation in 2019, according to figures obtained via a Freedom of Information request by the Daily Echo. 

The calendar year of 2020 saw the most compensation handed out for potholes in the conurbation, at £7,250 to 24 people. 

Wimborne Road, Throop Road, Holloway Avenue, Jewell Road and Ringwood Road (B3068) are the roads where the greatest number of potholes has been reported. 

The AA’s spokesman Tony Rich said potholes have “long been the scourge” of drivers and motorcyclists and that they are “undoubtedly getting worse”. 

Read more: Thousands of potholes have been reported in BCP

He added: “If a vehicle strikes a pothole, at the very least it’s likely to suffer tyre damage.  

“With an average tyre costing around £80, further strain is placed on already stretched family budgets and with many modern vehicles not having a spare tyre to rely on, the situation is likely to feel much worse.

Read more: Around 1 in every 33 miles of road needs repairing in BCP

“In more extreme cases wheels and suspension can also be damaged and repairs can cost thousands of pounds. 

“With wet weather due to return next week, this problem will again be a threat.” 

Cllr Mark Anderson, the council's cabinet member for environment and place, said: “Each pothole report is assessed alongside our highways inspection policy and this enables us to prioritise repairs, ensuring our roads remain in a serviceable and safe condition.

Read more: Passenger removed as Ryanair flight from Lanzarote lands in Portugal 

“All compensation claims are investigated fully and damages paid if we have been liable. Claims against our highway authority are not always car-related and include a number of different issues such as slips, trips and falls, road defects and drainage issues.” 

Wimborne Road came up as being one of the worst roads for potholes (Image: Daily Echo)

He added: “Like much of the country, BCP experienced very cold conditions in December 2022 which affected sections of some roads, stripping the top layer and leaving small cracks in the surface which allows water to get in which can expand and make the crack worse.  

“This water carries away pieces of the material of the layer which makes the structure of the road more susceptible to the weight of normal traffic. This is why potholes can sometimes seem to happen overnight. 

“We also operate an annual highway maintenance programme. This is determined by independent condition surveys, technical officer assessments carried out throughout the year and with feedback from residents.”