Our local council in Tower Hamlets has spent £7052.75 compensating motorists for damage caused by potholes since 2012, figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats have revealed.
Nationally a total of £12 million have been paid out over the last four years, with an average payment per person of £650.
The figures were uncovered by Freedom of Information requests to 500 councils by the Liberal Democrats.
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson Elaine Bagshaw said:
"This is a lose-lose situation for everyone, whether they are motorists, councils or taxpayers.
“People already have to fork out so much to drive a car, the least they should expect is that their vehicle doesn't get ruined by a bumpy road.
“Thousands of pounds are now being spent on pay-outs that could have been invested instead in fixing our roads.
"This is a symptom of the short-termist approach being taken to infrastructure investment.
"Roads should be fixed quickly so this compensation does not have to be paid out in the first place.”