AN AGGRIEVED motorist has accused council officers of shirking responsibility after his car was damaged by a large pothole.
Frank Daniell said he suffered a puncture on The Ridge in Woldingham last October, closely followed by four other drivers whose vehicles were also damaged by the crater.
But his official complaint to Surrey County Council – which is responsible for the road's repair – was rebuffed, with the council saying it had carried out its standard twice-yearly check three months prior to the incident.
Mr Daniell, 66, a former firefighter based at Croydon and Addington, said: "I have measured the hole in the road, and it is six inches deep.
"The council is abdicating its responsibility in not properly dealing with my complaint.
"That hole is still there – a cyclist could be killed if they hit it."
Mr Daniell, who lives in Orpington, said he was driving home from a Crystal Palace match when the tyre was punctured.
He said he was thrown against his steering wheel by the impact with the deep hole.
Having pulled in to a nearby car park off Titsey Hill to inspect the damage, four more motorists stopped in or near the car park within minutes having similarly suffered damage to their wheels.
When the Mirror visited the site with Mr Daniell on Friday, five hub caps – together with other debris from vehicles – lay at the roadside close to the offending pothole.
In response, Richard Skok from the county council's insurance department said: "The Ridge is subject to a regular inspection and maintenance regime and is inspected twice a year in accordance with county council policy.
"On July 19 – the last highway safety inspection prior to the accident – any defects found on this road were repaired."
Mr Skok said they had received no complaints from the public between the last inspection and Mr Daniell's accident.
He added: "We do not consider that there has been any negligence or breach of statutory duty on the part of Surrey County Council and, while the damage to the vehicle was most regrettable, we deny liability in this instance."
It was open to Mr Daniell to take his own legal advice if he wished to do so, Mr Skok added.
