LEWISHAM Council has paid out £3,448 in the past two years to drivers whose vehicles have been damaged by potholes.


There were 96 claims from motorists in the borough between 2010 to 2012, a Freedom of Information request to the council revealed.


Punctured tyres, damaged suspension and wheel rim problems are the most common injuries to vehicles as a result of poor road surface with one in eight drivers affected nationally since 2010.


Breakdown service Britannia Rescue found councils in England, Wales and Scotland received more than 54,000 compensation claims and gave a total of £4.8m to drivers over the past two years.


Britannia Rescue Managing Director Peter Horton said: "The past two harsh winters caused significant damage to the UK’s roads, which has not been fully repaired yet.


"Cuts in road maintenance funding mean that local authorities face very difficult choices on the roads they prioritise for repair. Motorists should protect themselves by keeping an eye out for potholes and keeping speeds down – particularly in wet weather when holes may be filled by rain."