by Martin Jefferies

mjefferies@thekmgroup.co.uk

Just one in eight drivers whose cars were damaged by potholes last year received compensation after claiming from Kent County Council.

Figures seen by KentOnline reveal the council paid out 356 times between April 2010 and April 2011, handing motorists more than £70,000.

But the majority (2,505) of the 2,861 claims were unsucessful.

Last December was one of the coldest on record, causing widespread damage to Kent's 5,000-mile road network.

During the last 12 months, Kent County Council patched up tens of thousands of potholes - around 18,000 of which were reported by drivers during two 'Find and Fix' campaigns.

But the council paid out a third less than it did it in 2008/9 (£106,400), despite receiving more than twice as many compensation claims.

Audio: Ted Relf

Ted Relf, who campaigned for signs warning drivers of potholes, said the actual number of cars damaged is probably even higher than the figures suggest.

He said: "I know a lot of people haven't even bothered to apply for a payout because it's so longwinded and tedious and a lot of claims are just thrown out because of lack of evidence.

"I'd suggest every one leaves a camera and a tape measure in their car in order to get the evidence needed for the council to process the claim.

"What happens if you don't take a photo is that you'll phone on, say, a Friday, tell the council your car's been damaged and give the location of the pothole. They won't pay out as by the time the claim is processed, the pothole has been fixed."

More than 7.5 million British motorists suffered pothole damage to their vehicle in the past year, racking up around £470 million in repair bills, according to recent research by Kwik Fit.

On Monday, the former BBC sports commentator Hamilton Bland won a £2,000 payout after taking Coventry City Council to court over damage to his Mercedes caused by potholes in the city. The council had initially refused to compensate him.

The figures seen by KentOnline do not include any compensation claims made to or settled by Medway Council, which did not respond to a Freedom of Information Act request.

Kent County Council is yet to comment on the figures.