Pothole

Updates

• Hello.

  I travelled along the M4 Eastbound on 18th March 2023.

  I was travelling at the motorway speed limit of 70mph in lane 1.

  I was returning to London with 8 Clients in my vehicle and as my vehicle front nearside wheel entered the sunken drain/ pothole, we all experienced a loud bang.

  My vehicle had passed its MOT on Tuesday 14th March.

  It had also passed the Transport For London (TFL) Test on Friday 17th March.

  I made an appointment with the garage I use which specialises in Mercedes Benz vehicles.

  The specialist told me that the nearside spring that surrounds the shock absorber had broke.

  The specialist states that hitting a drain/ pothole at 70mph and with the weight of 9 people in the vehicle at the time was to blame for the broken spring.

  I did send an email to Kier Highways which I believe is a contractor that maintains parts of the M4 motorway to but I have not received a reply as yet.

  I have had my vehicle repaired so I can continue working, it being Easter, I cannot afford to let my Clients down in taking them to the Airport, Southampton Docks and the Lake District.

  Please would you forward me a claim form to fill out and I can provide the invoice for the work carried out to be claimed so I can be reimbursed.

  Yours sincerely

  EMAIL SENT TO KIER HIGHWAYS BELOW.

  From: > Sent: Friday, 24 March 2023, 15:46 To: Subject: Vehicle Damage

  On Tuesday 14th March 2023 I took my vehicle for an MOT and it passed with no advisory comments.

  On Friday 17th March I took my vehicle to a Transport For London (TFL) Public Carriage Office (PCO) Test and it passed.

  I am a Private Hire Driver.

  On Saturday 18th I had to collect 8 Clients from a Premier Inn GL34AJ as they had stayed there for the races at Cheltenham.

  Whilst travelling back (Eastbound) along the M4 in the nearside lane (1), my nearside front wheel entered a sunken part of the road/ Pothole, I think it may have been a sunken drain cover / sunken tarmacadam.

  I remember going in to it as it resulted in my Clients and I being worried after hearing a bang, the front seat Clients stating "that didn't sound good". At 70mph and with the weight of the Clients, luggage and I, driving in to the hazard was unavoidable.

  At the time I was very concerned and worried that:-

  A) We would break down / need to stop as some of the Clients onboard had other events to go to (football matches) at 15.00. b) I had done severe damage to my vehicle c) With bookings coming in, I would not be able to continue working whilst my vehicle is off the road and may need repairing. d) If my vehicle did need repairing, how long would it take to get the parts as there severe backlogs on parts.

  These things were going through my mind as we continued our journey.

  I did not make a note of exactly where the sunken drain hole was as I am not allowed to stop on a motorway unless in an emergency.

  However, the 8 Clients I had on board which I take/ collect from the same hotel every year have said they will happily be a witness to the incident.

  I have had to ask to Colleagues to cover quite a few long bookings since Saturday 18th March as I am scared I will break down and my other Clients will miss their flights at Gatwick/ Heathrow/ Stansted.

  I have also had to get Clients collected by Colleagues from the said airports for the same reason.

  The garage that looks after my vehicle has confirmed that my vehicle has a broken near side front spring which they (and I) believe was the bang my Clients and I heard on our journey.

  My garage has ordered the spring and hopefully it will arrive very soon so it can be fitted and I can continue working without the fear and stress of breaking down.

  After hitting the sunken hazard on the motorway, I believe that if it hadn't been there, I would not have the need to write this email.

  What do I need to do now to be reimbursed by Kier Highways / National Highways for the work that needs to be carried out to make my vehicle roadworthy again?

  I look forward to hearing from you soon.

  Yours sincerely

  Posted anonymously at 10:44, Fri 31 March 2023
  Moderated by National Highways at 13:08, Sun 2 April 2023

• Thank you for your report - You can claim against National Highway (red claim) here : https://nationalhighways.co.uk/ our-roads/ network-claims/ claims-against-national-highways-red-claims/

  Posted by at 13:06, Sun 2 April 2023