Central Beds Council pays out over £120k to accident claims involving potholes and pavement defects

Accident Claims Advice (ACA) obtained figures showing that 217 claims for pedestrian accidents have been lodged against the local authority since 2020.

But CBC says that the number of claims "remains low in comparison to the volume of footfall" across the region – and that it is "striving" to improve maintenance efforts to prevent future incidents.

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

An ACA spokesman, added: "Local authorities have a duty of care to ensure the safety of people using public spaces, such as parks, highways and footpaths. "An important part of this is ensuring the land under their control is properly maintained."

Of the 217 pedestrian accident claims against CBC, only 17 were settled with compensation, highlighting "a large disparity".

In 2020, 42 claims were made against the council, the third-highest number of claims over the past five years. A year later, this number increased to 43 claims.

However, the council has experienced a drop in claims over the past year, with a total of 39.

Research from 2018 revealed that, across the UK, pedestrians who tripped on pavements were awarded at least £2.1m in compensation.

The ACA found that 10,572 people made claims against local councils, but only 859 – just eight per cent – were successful.

The spokesman added: "The small percentage of settled claims continues to this day, often due to a lack of evidence against the council.

"In order for someone to claim, they must prove that the local council or authority breached its ‘duty of care’ and that this directly caused the injury."

The ACA obtained figures on how much CBC has paid out to successful pedestrian accident claims since 2020.

CBC has paid out a total of £120,685.35 over the past five years, with the highest amount coming in 2021, standing at £50,603.

The Highways Act 1980 places a duty of care on local authorities to maintain many of the public highways within its boundaries.

The legislation requires a good system for regularly assessing roads and another system for repairing any defects identified.

Pavement defects were the most common causes of pedestrian accident claims in CBC, lodged 117 times, followed by trips and slips, which saw 40 claims submitted.

Councillor John Baker, CBC’s executive member for highways, said: "We are committed to maintaining safe and accessible public spaces for all pedestrians on our streets. We inspect and repair our highways and footpaths to minimise risks and ensure the safety of pedestrians.

"While the number of claims remains low in comparison to the volume of footfall across our region, we take every report seriously and strive to improve our maintenance efforts to prevent future incidents.

"In the past two years, the number of accident claim payouts has significantly reduced. In 2023/24, only one claim was settled, and so far during 2024/25, no pedestrian accident claims resulted in a payout."

The ACA offers support to those who have suffered injuries due to footpath or highway defects, determining whether they are eligible for compensation.