10cm deep pothole: Council denying liability after motorists seek payouts for damage caused

Redcar and Cleveland Council filled in the pothole in Margrove Road, which links Charltons on the A171 near Guisborough to Boosbeck, in East Cleveland, after its discovery earlier this year.

However drainage issues prevented an immediate repair with a gully sucker having to be used to clear standing water first.

A number of motorists have claimed they damaged car tyres after driving over the pothole amid criticism of the length of time it took the council to act and of inadequate measures that were put in place to direct traffic around the incursion.

The council’s position is that it acted reasonably and has followed national guidelines.

One woman who contacted the Local Democracy Reporting Service said she attempted to claim for a new tyre costing £49, only to be told by the council’s insurers they had been advised not to accept any claims.

She said: “[When] I hit the pothole it was dark and the pothole just looked like a puddle.

“I think this pothole should have been marked properly and a warning sign put up, not just the one [traffic] cone that had been hit many times and was in the bushes.”

The council, in a statement, confirmed it had received eight compensation claims in relation to the pothole.

It acknowledged that vehicle damage could be “frustrating” and sympathised with those affected.

The statement said: “Our records show there were no reports of this pothole prior to 6 February 2026, and no defects were identified during the scheduled safety inspection carried out on 17 November 2025.

“Once the council was put on notice of the defect by a member of the public, an operative attended the same day.

“Due to standing water, it was not possible to immediately issue a repair ticket, but a traffic cone was put in place to highlight the defect to road users.

“The defect was repaired on 9 February, when conditions allowed, with assistance from a gully sucker clearing water from the carriageway.

“While we appreciate some residents may be disappointed, the council can only accept liability where it can be demonstrated that we failed to take reasonable steps to identify and address defects.

“In this case, we are satisfied that appropriate inspections and actions were carried out in line with national guidelines.”

Problem potholes, particularly in East Cleveland, have been the subject of debate at full council meetings and described as a “menace” to motorists.

In March in response to a question from Councillor Steve Kay, cabinet member for highways and transport Carl Quartermain said: “It’s simply not accurate to say the council is failing to deal with potholes when thousands of repairs are carried out each year.

“That’s a small highways team working in all weathers every week to maintain more than 700km of roads.

“They deserve recognition of that work and I thank them wholeheartedly.”