One afternoon in late September I set out to take my grandson home after school, a simple task you would think – well not exactly!
I live in Grange Drive, off Halmer Gate, and school leaving time is always hazardous but this day I didn’t get out of the end of the drive.
I approached the end of the road and had to cross onto the wrong side of the road due to the line of parked cars and my front wheel went into an enormous pothole. I immediately knew something was wrong so returned home (only a couple of hundred yards) and sure enough the tyre deflated rapidly.
I rang the garage who said it was irreparable because the tyre wall was damaged so they put me a new tyre on for £120.
I put in a complaint straightaway and followed this up with a claim following guidelines about photos of pothole, damage to my car and tyre invoice etc.
This morning I received a letter rejecting my claim with several reasons given:
- No-one else had made a complaint.
- On March 24 a Highways Officer acting as an inspector had travelled in a slow moving vehicle and had deemed the road in a safe condition.
- The council accepts no liability for this incident as maintenance and inspection policies are in place.
They have since filled in the biggest pothole, which was the culprit but not the surrounding ones.
I’m certain other users of this road would beg to disagree. It really is in a deplorable state, as is Halmer Gate, surely it’s not just me?
To finish off the letter I am advised I can take independent legal advice – what! I am already £120 out of pocket – I don’t think so!
Grange Drive resident
