Manchester has ranked second in a list of UK cities with the highest number of accident claims filed against local councils in 2014, citing Manchester’s roads as one of the main talked about issues.
The data, provided by First4lawyers, placed Manchester behind Birmingham in the number of accidents on council owned land, while Newcastle was third on the list.
The deterioration of Manchester’s roads is one of the factors that contribute to the number of accidents on council owned land.
Potholes in Manchester pose a serious risk of accident, particularly for cyclists. Manchester has in the past been referred to as a ‘terrible cycling city’ by The Guardian.
Manchester City Council received a staggering 3,524 complaints about potholes in the year 2013/14, behind only Trafford’s 3,888 in the Greater Manchester area.
Residents have taken action into their own hands, including an anonymous campaigner in Ramsbottom who goes by the name of ‘Wanksy’, who spray paints giant penises around potholes to draw the attention of the council.
The condition of Manchester’s roads however does not account for all accidents on council land.
Local councils in Greater Manchester paid a massive £3.4million in accident compensation to their own staff from 2008-2013.
Some of the pay-outs for accidents suffered by council staff include £4000 compensation paid for slipping on a banana peel, £3000 paid for being burnt by a fish pie, and £175,679 paid for slipping on a wet floor.
A Manchester City Council spokesperson told MM: “The city council takes all claims very seriously and we seek to deal with them efficiently and fairly.
“We also have a duty to protect taxpayers’ money and so we rigorously investigate all claims we suspect may be unreasonable or fraudulent.”
To view the full interactive map of accident claims across the UK, click here.
Image courtesy of Michael Gil, with thanks.
