Roads: Repairs and Maintenance
Commons · Question 12345 · Tabled 23 Jun 2026 · Department for Transport · Official record
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Question
Asked by Pippa Heylings
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance her Department provides to local authorities on instructing external legal firms to defend claims relating to vehicle damage caused by potholes; and whether she plans to review the (a) cost-effect
Answer
Answered by Simon Lightwood, 29 Jun 2026
The Department does not provide guidance to local authorities on this matter. Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 places a statutory duty on highway authorities to maintain public highways. Dealing with compensation claims due to defects such as potholes ...