Pothole compensation for injured cyclist
A Yorkshire man thrown from his bicycle after his front wheel
got lodged in a pothole has been awarded £2,000 in personal injury
compensation.
In 2008, 52-year-old keen cyclist Peter Lodge needed treatment
for cuts after the accident near his home in Hebden Bridge.
According to his solicitor, the pothole had formed around a
Yorkshire Water valve, creating a gap between the metal box and the
road.
"Unfortunately, the condition of the road between Hebden Bridge
and Todmorden presents a serious threat to cyclists as it is full
of potholes and is badly surfaced," said Mr Lodge.
"While this is obviously unpleasant for drivers, cyclists not
only risk having a nasty fall but could then easily be hit by a
car. I hate to think what might have happened if I had been thrown
off my bike just an hour earlier during the rush hour."
Yorkshire Water said it settled the matter before it went to
court, and this month awarded Mr Lodge £2,000 in compensation.
"We take public safety seriously and when we are aware of any
such problems, we endeavour to carry out repairs as soon as
possible, so to avoid any potential incidents like this," said a
company spokesperson.
Potholes are common throughout the UK's road network, and
instances such as these occur thousands of time each week. The
Cyclist's Touring Club (CTC), which funded Mr Lodge's legal advice,
has urged cyclists to report potholes on its website www.ctc.org.uk so that the
information could be passed on to local authorities.