The figure was a claim from a pothole injury which occurred on the county’s roads and walkways – and was awarded in 2021.  

Injuries were also behind the second and third highest claims, which were for £6,650 and £4,130 respectively.  

It is not known where the incidents happened exactly.  

In total, Cambridgeshire County Council has paid out more than £96,000 in pothole claims over the last two years.   

Of the 1,144 claims submitted to the council, 200 were settled and 906 were rejected.  

Twenty-three are ongoing cases, and one is going to court.  

Marathon runner's injury from a Soham pothole

Cambridgeshire County Council paid £16,000 in its highest pothole payout of the last two years, according to a freedom of information request. (Image: Supplied by Helen Kirby-Hawkins)

The figures came from a FoI request submitted by Helen Kirby-Hawkins, an ultra-marathon runner who broke her ankle when she fell into a deep pothole last year. 

She was running along Qua Fen Road, in Soham, on December 14 – and Cambridgeshire County Council is refusing to accept liability. 

Helen, who ran the TCS London Marathon weeks before the incident, has now instructed a solicitor to appeal the decision.  

Helen Kirby-Hawkins, pictured in the green top, ran the TCS London Marathon weeks before she broke her ankle. (Image: TCS London Marathon / With permission from Helen Kirby-Hawkins)

She said: “I felt I had to fight this because the decision is completely unfair.

“This injury will take me, a very fit person, between 12 and 16 weeks to recover from.  

“My recovery is making progress, but for someone who is elderly or frail it would've taken them much, much longer. These uneven road surfaces are such a hazard.

“For motorists, it’s expensive to run a vehicle at the moment and many people rely on their cars for work and getting about.

“But if you hit a pothole and can’t use your vehicle for days because the roads are in such a state – that all seems really unfair.” 

Helen Kirby-Hawkins broke her ankle after falling into a pothole while out running in December 2022. (Image: Supplied by Helen Kirby-Hawkins)

Helen says Cambridgeshire County Council refused to accept liability in her initial claim because the pothole had not previously been reported. 

Repairing potholes

While the council says regular inspections are carried out on roads and footways, Helen also requested the monitoring and works schedules for the area where she fell as part of the FoI.  

These documents revealed quarterly checks were carried out from September 2021, and a few potholes filled every six months or so.  

Yet after Helen’s accident and around the time her claim was logged, the work schedule increased significantly as 52 potholes were addressed along Qua Fen Road and nearby Bushell Lane within a month. 

The council insists the rise in pothole repairs were not connected to the fall, and says more works are usually needed around the new year “because of bad weather and ongoing climate issues”. 

Helen Kirby-Hawkins broke her ankle after falling into a pothole while out running in December 2022. (Image: Supplied by Helen Kirby-Hawkins)

Helen added: “It does still seem like a coincidence to me...  

“After the cold winter we’ve had this year, I urge everyone to report any potholes they find to the council. It could really help someone out in the future.” 

A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: “Our sympathies are with Helen and her family and we hope she makes a quick recovery.  

“Our highways teams work hard every day to prevent people suffering injuries on our roads and footpaths – and it is the council’s ambition to achieve its goal of a connected, continuous network of safe, inclusive active travel routes. 

“It is important to assess each claim on its own merits, as we are dealing with taxpayers’ money.  

“As a general rule, the council would only be liable for compensation if we have failed to meet specific duties as set out in the Highways Act around maintaining the public highway.  

“There may be circumstances where people disagree with our decisions, so claimants are always entitled to seek independent legal advice.” 

WHAT DO YOU THNK?

We would love to hear your experiences of potholes and see any photographs you have. Email: louise.hepburn@newsquest.co.uk.