Less than half of claims by motorists for pothole damage in Renfrewshire are being paid out by council chiefs.

Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request show that vehicle owners made 545 compensation claims to the local authority between 2019 and 2022.

Of those, just 194 resulted in payments, at an average of £219 per claim.
A total of £42,600 was paid out by Renfrewshire Council during that period.

Only around 35% of motorists who submitted a claim for damage caused by potholes in the local area’s roads were successful.

However, this was still well above the national average, with just 15% of claims across Scotland receiving a payout.

The Scottish Conservatives, who obtained the figures, have called for the introduction of Pothole Action Funds that will give communities the right to demand repairs to local roads.

Shadow transport minister Graham Simpson said: “The dire condition of our roads is an extremely serious issue. Far too many local routes are scarred with potholes which damage vehicles and can lead to crashes.

“By imposing years of systematic and continued budget cuts, Nicola Sturgeon’s government are starving councils of the cash needed either to carry out essentials repairs or to compensate drivers affected by their failure to do so.

“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.”

In the 2019/20 financial year, 104 out of 250 claims made to Renfrewshire Council by drivers were successful, with a total payout of £18,317.

The following year, there were 112 claims, of which 57 were approved, with compensation totalling £9,879.

In 2021/22, there were 183 claims and 33 payouts, amounting to £14,423.

A spokesperson for Renfrewshire Council said: “All claims for compensation for damage to vehicles due to a pothole are independently assessed and are paid out if liability is established.”