Compensation claims for cars damaged by potholes received by the county’s largest authority have rocketed by 119% since 2021.

It can be revealed Kent County Council (KCC) has spent more than £35million fixing craters in damaged roads.

And a further £583,000 has been forked out by the local authority fighting pothole damage claims in the past three years alone, according to data gleaned from freedom of information requests.

The findings have been revealed as part of a new study by Accident Claims Advice (ACA).

It found the number of roads being left unrepaired by UK councils “has now hit record levels” with 872 potholes still unfixed in the county.

ACA says it has found the local authority has had a staggering 3,763 legal claims lodged against it regarding potholes in the last three years with the figure increasing from 655 claims in 2022 to 1,205 last year.

In 2023, says the legal services firm, the council settled a record number forking out £31,975 in compensation settling 150 pothole claims.

ACA public liability specialist Beverly Faulkner said: “A crucial part of this is making sure the land under their control is properly maintained. Failing to do this can put people at risk.

“The damage caused by potholes can be catastrophic leading to serious injury and/or costly vehicle damage.

“It is vital that roads are properly maintained and councils are held responsible for the roads they maintain.”

Steve Gooding, the director of the RAC Foundation, said: “The number of cars is increasing, traffic volume is increasing, the number of potholes is increasing, the only thing not increasing seems to be the amount of money being spent on maintaining our local roads, which everyone in the country relies on whether they drive or not.”

ACA says KCC’s spending on pothole repairs has plummeted from £15.3m in 2022/23 to £10.3m last year (2023/24).

The UK Treasury announced in the Budget in October that total local road maintenance funding in 2025/26 will be nearly £1.6bn, representing a £500m uplift compared with the previous 12 months.

More than £378m was allocated specifically for local authorities in the South East and London.

Prime Minister Kier Starmer said in December: “Broken roads can risk lives and cost families hundreds if not thousands of pounds on repairs. That’s a cost that can easily be avoided by investing properly in our roads.

“That’s why we’re giving councils funding to repair our roads and get Britain moving again - with a clear expectation that they get on with the job.”

KCC highways chief Cllr Neil Baker (Con) said: “We are at the time of year when our roads are in their worst condition with weather conditions causing significant deterioration and also limiting the scope for permanent repairs.

“Like everyone who uses our roads, I look forward to the warmer weather and the roll-out of our next pothole blitz.

“That said, the focus on potholes – while completely understandable – takes focus away from the underlying problem and can given central government the chance for fancy press releases about funding while not tackling what is a national issue.

“Both this government and the previous one have been good at talking about extra money for potholes.

We need real funds, not photos of Government ministers – whatever their party – pointing at potholes

“What we need is significantly more funds for ongoing road maintenance, over multiple years, so we can plan ahead.

“While we will always need to fix potholes, with funding that genuinely reflects the miles driven on Kent roads each year and the geology we have, rather than just the miles of road we have, we could be much more proactive and radically reduce roads reaching crumbling point.

“We need real funds, not photos of Government ministers – whatever their party – pointing at potholes and claiming the amount of cash they are announcing, or re-announcing after performing financial gymnastics, will solve the issue.

“Roads have been underfunded for decades, it will take much more than a quick fix if we residents are able to drive on surfaces they want and deserve.”