CROYDON Council has paid out nearly £90,000 in compensation over the last five years because of potholes on the borough's damaged roads.

Figures obtained by the Advertiser, following a Freedom of Information request, revealed the council settled claims totalling £2,274, between April 1, 2009, and March 31.

It admitted responsibility for 13 incidents – ranging from a car's suspension being damaged to a front tyre being punctured.

The most cash was paid out in the 2007/08 financial year – a total of £58,033 – when some claims were made for personal injuries.

These included around £12,900 handed over after a motorcyclist fell off a bike and suffered an injury in Wellesley Road, at the junction of Poplar Walk.

In Forestdale, £4,739 was paid out after a victim tripped on a pothole in a car park and fell, suffering a broken right tooth, cuts to the face and a sprained ankle.

Motorist Anne Hodges, 61, has been fighting for compensation after her Renault Clio went over a pothole, in Featherbed Lane, in March. She said the rim of her front wheel, on the passenger side, was broken and her tyre burst – costing £265.

Describing the amount the council paid out over the last year, Mrs Hodges said: "It's minimal, knowing the condition of the roads around Croydon.

"It seems to be a ludicrous amount.

"It seems to me the council doesn't want to pay out anything, or wants to pay as little as possible."

The council has insisted it is not liable for Mrs Hodges' claim as the road was serviced less than a month earlier, and it had not subsequently been informed of a pothole being there.

A spokesman from financial experts Moneywise.com agreed with this assessment, and explained: "Highways authorities can't be held liable for defects they don't know about – which is why it's so important drivers report potholes when they spot them."

Phil Thomas, Croydon Council's cabinet member for environment and highways, insisted every claim is considered on its own merits.

He said: "We've got a lot of people who try to pull the wool over our eyes.

"They put in false claims complaining about the pavement or roads.

"So we have to differentiate between what is genuine and what isn't.

"We have to follow the letter of the law on compensation because we are looking after council taxpayers' money."

Councillor Thomas added £7 million is being invested in improving the borough's roads this financial year, with a figure of £37 million earmarked over the next five years.

He insisted the money will not be used just to fill in potholes, but will instead go on roads being fully resurfaced.

Croydon Council repaired 9,801 potholes, between January 1 and May 31, compared to 5,485 over the same period in 2009.