Legal advice needed

[mikeyquattro]

My wife hit a big hole in the road last November, damaging the wheel and ruining the tyre. I put a claim in to my local council for a wheel and tyre (£400), who said they were not to blame. (Even though a temporary repair to the road was carried out within 2 days)
I've since taken several pictures of damage on the 1/2 mile section of road where the incident happened. I sent these as evidence that the inspections carried out on the road were not to the required standard.

I also asked for the last 12 months of inspection reports.

Within 3 days of sending my second letter, major section of the road have now been repaired, yet this morning I have a letter saying

'It is not unusual for us to repair damaged roads where there has been a known incident even though damage does not reach our intervention level, as this is considered good practice'

I'm thinking of seeing a solicitor, but have no money to do so at the moment.

Your thoughts please

From a VERY pissed off tax payer

Mike

[derdle]

I had a similar incident a few years ago with Oxfordshire County Council (apparently the worst in the Country). The Councils are obliged to inspect every section of road every six months and those details have to be recorded. Ask for copies of the road inspections report for that section of road covering the year before your incident and since the incident. Give them (say) 14 days to do it, otherwise you'll have no option but to sue the council for the dmaage to your wheel.

I got the copies sent to me and they showed that the road had been inspected within the previous six months and so I could not persue the matter.

Some would say that you should drive at such a speed so as to avoid potholes etc...trouble was mine was 6 inches deep and full of water and so looked like one of the hundreds of other puddles on the road.

I also had a nagging feeling that the road condition records had been manipulated. After all - how can you prove that a gang of road checkers just didn't write down that they inspected the road...when in fact they were in the local cafe?

Hope that helps.
Keep us up to date on what goes on.

Paul

[MCB]

Mikey although I hate them why don’t you speak to a few 'No win no fee' w*****s?

In this case probably justified.