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The Economic Impact of Potholes on Cycling

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As a cyclist, the last thing you want to do is take your bike for a ride down a road in poor condition. Potholes, cracks, and bumps can cause serious safety hazards for cyclists and lead to costly damage to their bikes.

But what many people don’t realise is that potholes also have an economic impact. In this blog post, we’ll look at how potholes can lead to costly repairs and maintenance.

Introducing the Issue – An Overview of Potholes and Their Economic Impact on Cycling

Potholes are a common issue on roads, pavements, and bike paths. They often form when water gets into cracks in the surface of the road and freezes, causing the cracks to expand. This creates an uneven surface that can cause serious damage to cyclists who ride over it.

Repair costs for a damaged bike can be expensive. Depending on the extent of the pothole, a cyclist might need to pay for new tyres, spokes, and handlebars. In some cases of pothole wheel damage, a broken frame or bent wheel can lead to the entire replacement of the bike.

However, the economic impact of potholes goes beyond just the cost of repairing a damaged bike. Road repair and maintenance can also be costly. It takes time, money, and resources to fix potholes in a timely manner. This cost has to come from somewhere, and it usually comes out of the pockets of taxpayers.

The Cost of Vehicle Damage

Cyclists and motor vehicles are both vulnerable to potholes. Drivers of cars and other motor vehicles may experience tyre damage, bent rims, broken suspension components, or other costly repairs, depending on the severity of the pothole.

With a repair bill for pothole-related problems costing upwards of £100 in most cases, cyclists and car owners certainly feel the pinch.

The Impact on Businesses

Businesses that rely on roads for their operations can be negatively impacted by potholes too. For example, delivery companies have to deal with extra costs when their vehicles suffer from tyre damage or suspension failure due to potholes and other poor road conditions.

The Cost of Road Repair and Maintenance

The cost of road repair and maintenance is significant. Depending on the severity of the pothole, it can take weeks or even months to repair a pothole. This affects not only cyclists but also motorists, who must find alternate routes around the hazard.

Reactive maintenance of damaged roads can be expensive. In fact, it costs around 20 times more than planned preventative measures, which is why there are calls to invest more in preventative maintenance. Regular repair and maintenance of roads before they become hazards can save taxpayers money while ensuring safety for cyclists and motorists alike.

Evaluating Potential Solutions – Short-term Fixes vs Long-term Solutions

Ultimately, there needs to be a shift in the way we think about road maintenance. Short-term fixes, such as patching up potholes, can provide temporary relief, but these methods are not cost-effective and do not address the underlying cause of the issue.

Long-term solutions like investing in preventative maintenance and resurfacing roads before they become hazards are more effective and cost-efficient. These measures can help reduce the economic impact of potholes while cycling as well as improve road safety for both cyclists and drivers.

How to Claim for Pothole Damage

When it comes to claiming from the council for pothole damage, you will need to provide evidence of the damage and prove that it was caused by a pothole. Photos of the pothole and receipts for the repair costs are usually required, as well as any medical records and witness statements if you have sustained injuries.

It is best to seek legal advice from an experienced solicitor to help you with the process of making a claim for your pothole damage.

Conclusion

Potholes have a significant economic impact on cycling. Not only do they lead to costly bike repairs, but they also increase repair and maintenance costs for roads. Additionally, potholes can cause damage to businesses.

Ultimately, it is valuable to consider both short-term and long-term solutions to address the economic impact of potholes. Investing in preventative maintenance can help improve road safety while also saving taxpayers money.

Contact Cycle SOS to make a pothole damage claim

At Cycle SOS, we understand the importance of keeping roads safe for cyclists and can help you get compensation if you sustain an injury from pothole damage.

For more information about our pothole compensation services or to start your pothole damage claim, call 0808 100 9995 to talk with one of our specialist solicitors. You can also email us or schedule a callback for pothole damage claims today.

Written By:

Emily Pheysey

Litigation Executive

Emily has over 7 years of experience in the legal sector, handling road traffic accident claims to recover compensation and support her clients. Her focus is to ensure all clients feel comfortable and at ease with the claims process so that they can focus on their recovery.

Emily considers rapport to be an essential part of the role and strives to always provide excellent client care.

Away from work, Emily enjoys spending time with her family and friends and travelling as much possible.

Diane Holderness

Litigation Executive

Diane is a Ministry of Justice (TOJ) Team Leader within our Cycle Department. She has 11 years’ experience managing road traffic accident claims, and 6 years’ experience managing MOJ claims.

Diane enjoys a challenge and always strives for the very best results for her customers; something that is clear in the way her team continually adapts its strategies in order to secure the most desired outcome. Diane has worked her way through the legal ranks here, and is proud to now have a strong, specialist team that is committed to customer satisfaction.

Diane believes that happy clients make a happy working environment, and it is this that ensures a productive and efficient workforce.

Nina Haddock

Chartered Legal Executive

Nina has over 30 years’ experience in the legal sector. She specialises in recovering compensation for injury claimants as a result of road traffic accidents. Her focus for each and every claim is to help her clients secure the funding that they need to pay for ongoing treatment and support.

Nina became a CILEX Fellow in 2006 and now helps her clients and their families at a time when they have been through a traumatic experience, and everything they hold dear to them appears to be changing.

One case Nina is particularly proud of is supporting a client who had successfully sought asylum in the UK, following a road traffic accident. The claim was successfully pursued through the MIB and the client was left with significant injuries. Her client was able to use the compensation to aid family members with their applications to seek asylum in the UK.

Julian Fox

Cycling Accident Solicitor

Julian qualified as a Solicitor in 2005 and has worked in all areas of personal injury since 2000. Julian has a well-rounded understanding of personal injury law, having represented both claimants and defendants.

Julian always aims for maximum damages to meet his clients’ needs for injury and rehabilitation expenses, and can often secure interim payments to help meet clients’ financial needs. Julian is highly proactive in ensuring cases are progressed, ensuring a timely conclusion.

When not at the office, Julian is a keen cyclist, both on roads and virtually -he will often do an hour of ‘Zwifting’ in the mornings before starting work.

Richard Atherton

Cycling Accident Solicitor

Richard has 12 years of legal experience and qualified as a Solicitor in February 2014. He has been a Team Manager with us since 2019. Throughout his career, Richard has specialised in personal injury, handling an array of Road Traffic Accident cases, in addition to employer and public liability.

Richard prides himself on his very strong strategic and planning skills, which come into their own in complex injury cases where more technical arguments are involved. On every case, he is committed to ensuring that his clients receive full compensation for their injuries.

Away from work, Richard enjoys sport; he is a season ticket holder at St Helens Rugby Club and a Liverpool FC fan. Not only a spectator, Richard also likes going to play golf as often as he can.

Dave Gardner

Litigation Executive

Dave has over 20 years of experience in the legal sector. His specialism is personal injury and he has dealt with hundreds of cycling injury claims during his career. Excellent client care and communication is paramount to Dave. He prides himself on being accessible and available, attending court hearings where damages are in dispute to ensure the best outcome for his clients. One case Dave is particularly proud of is when he supported an elderly client who suffered serious injuries following a road traffic incident. The police had not taken any action against the defendant, so Dave had to be proactive and act within a 24-hour window. The case proceeded and the client was in receipt of £30,000 in damages, which he would not have been entitled to had the client not approached Dave. He is also an avid supporter of Glasgow Rangers and travelled abroad on many occasions to see them play in European competitions.

Gerard Horton

Partner

Gerard is a Senior Solicitor at Cycle SOS. In his 13 years of experience, Gerard has built a national reputation in the catastrophic injury sector, dealing with high value and complex cases. Alongside his legal role, Gerard supports several charities including Headway Central Lancashire, Northwest Regional Spinal Injuries Centre and spinal injury charity, Back Up.

Julia Eyton

Partner

Julia brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Cycle SOS team.

Specialising in representing those who have had life changing injuries, Julia handles some of the most serious and complex personal injury cases both within Cycle SOS and nationally.

She often works on high value claims and is skilled in winning complex liability cases.

NADIA KERR

Partner

Nadia has over 30 years of legal expertise and has represented hundreds of vulnerable road users. With a focus on ensuring timely rehabilitation, speedy repair or replacement of bikes and kit, and securing fair compensation, Nadia is committed to advocating for justice and client rights. Alongside her legal career, Nadia actively participates in national campaigns to benefit vulnerable road users and acts as a Trustee/Director for the national cycling charity, Cycling UK. Nadia was named in Cycling UK’s ‘100 women’ and was a founding member, now running a women’s cycling group, TeamGlow in South Manchester. Among her many achievements, Nadia takes pride in her spot on BBC Breakfast, where she provided expert commentary on long term government funding for pothole repairs.

Caroline Morris

DIRECTOR OF SERIOUS INJURY

Caroline has specialised in personal injury for over 25 years, recovering more than £56 million in damages during that time, to help clients rebuild their lives after injury.

Caroline is committed to achieving rehabilitation options early, meaning her clients benefits from the best care and treatment at the earliest stage possible.