69 residents demanded compensation from the authority between 2020 and 2024, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter

Main image credit: Ryerson Clark via Canva

Waltham Forest Council paid out £15,000 in four years over accidents involving potholes and pavement defects.

As many as 69 residents demanded compensation from the authority between 2020 and 2024, a Freedom of Information (FOI) reveals.

Pedestrians who have tripped on poor-quality pavement and injured themselves can sue their local council for compensation.

Very few claims ultimately succeed, most commonly due to a lack of evidence the council breached its duty of care by not maintaining the space.

Councillor Clyde Loakes, the deputy leader of Waltham Forest Council, said the town hall would “invest what we can” in maintaining the borough’s roads and paths.

The worst year for claims was 2022, according to data obtained by support service Accident Claims Advice. The council paid out £13,500 – around 90% of the decade’s total – to 13 residents.

The remaining £1,500 was paid in 2020 to 13 residents.

Both 2021 and 2023 saw 17 residents make claims against the council, though none were successful. The lowest year was 2024, with just nine unsuccessful representations made.

Lucy Parker, a solicitor with JF Law, said: “Pedestrian accidents can result in severe injuries, such as sprains, head trauma, and even broken bones, which means it’s essential that highways and footpaths are properly maintained.”

Though the numbers are high for Waltham Forest, other councils paid considerably more.

Harrow Council shelled out more than £200,000 in the same period, paying residents a total of £75,000 in 2022 alone.

Harrow received a total of 231 claims between 2020 and 2024. Similar to those made against Waltham Forest, the vast majority – some 182 – were for pavement defects.

Cllr Loakes said: “We know how important it is that pavements and public spaces are safe for everyone. I am pleased that the number of incidents decreased in Waltham Forest last year and based on comparison with the figures published by other local authorities we are receiving fewer claims than many.

“Despite the challenging financial situation that councils find themselves and the widely recognised national backlog of repairs, Waltham Forest will continue to invest what we can in improving our neighbourhoods and making sure that our roads and pavements are maintained.”

Last December, the government announced an extra £1.6billion in funding to repair up to seven million potholes across the UK.

Waltham Forest will receive £686,000 to help repair its roads.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told LBC radio it cost an average of £70 to fix a pothole.

London was allocated a cumulative £24.5m to help repairs its roads, which reflects less than 5% of the total pot.

In 2024, Waltham Forest’s highways team resurfaced around 7km of roads and 2.5km of pavements.

Cllr Loakes added: “On top of the grant funding we receive for highways maintenance, any surplus revenue that we raise from parking enforcement is partially used to pay for essential road and pavement repairs.”

The council is expected to confirm its maintenance and repairs schedule for the coming year at a full council meeting later this month.

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