78 public vehicle liability pothole damage claims lodged in Derry already this year

Roads minister Nichola Mallon released details of the number of public liability vehicle damage claims received by her Department between January 1 and August 31.

She said the 78 claims received by the Derry and Strabane Road Section Office related to defects that were described as potholes.

However, she cautioned that ‘there may be some claims received during this period where information on the defect type is not yet available which may subsequently be confirmed as a pothole’.

Derry and Strabane had by no means the highest number of claims.

In fact far more claims were lodged in other districts, especially east of the Bann: Lisburn and Castlereragh (274), Newry and Down West (218), Antrim and Newtownabbey (178), Ards and North Down (175), Newry and Down East (167), Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon West (151), Mid and East Antrim (149), Mid Ulster North (116), Fermanagh and Omagh East (104), Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon East (82), Derry and Strabane (78), Mid Ulster South (53), Causeway Coast and Glens East (46), Causeway Coast and Glens West (37), Belfast North (33), Fermanagh and Omagh West (30) and Belfast South (25).