A ROSYTH man is £300 out of pocket as Fife Council have refused his claim for compensation after his scooter hit a pothole on the way to work.

Christopher Mill, 33, a maintenance electrician at Oceaneering, said the damage was done to his Lambretta 125 on Milne Road/the B981 in the town in September.

He put in a claim and waited five months before being told last week that the council won't pay out.

Christopher told the Press: "I think it's very unfair. They can't say the road wasn't bad enough because it did cause the damage.

"I tried to avoid the first couple of potholes but the impact of hitting the next one – as soon as I came through it I noticed a big crack in the windscreen.

"I'd put in a new one just a few months before, it cost a couple of hundred and it cost a hundred to get it fitted."

He continued: "I have to go along this road for work and it's very difficult to avoid the potholes as there are that many.

"I put a claim in to the council and reported the road as in need of repair.

"They have just replied saying they feel they are not to blame for the damage and that the roads have been checked and are in a safe manner.

"I don't feel anyone has even been to have a look at the road and I don't think the pictures I sent in were acknowledged."

Christopher said a colleague at work reported the potholes to the council eight months before, in January, and was told it wasn't a priority.

He added: "It's either side of that roundabout after the traffic lights (heading west) – it's full of potholes.

"The first bit is like going over a cheese grater as the road surface is so damaged.

"One of the potholes was 40mm by 100mm.

"Recently, when there was really heavy rain, you couldn't even see where they were as the whole road was wet.

"I'm angry about it. I'd like the road repaired at the very least. If it was causing damage in September, it's going to be even worse now.

"If I don't get compensation, I'm out of pocket but I can live with it. I just don't want any more damage to my or anyone else's bike or vehicle."

Service manager at the council, Avril Cunningham, said: “We follow a claims procedure to ensure consistency and fairness.

“Since the circumstances of individual claims differ, they are each assessed on their own merits.

"A specialist firm of legal liability claim handlers deal with claims on behalf of the council and their liability assessment is based on information provided by the council and the claimant.

“Claims are only paid if the council has not met its legal duty to inspect and maintain roads."

Scott Dixon, a consumer expert who specialises in motoring disputes, said: "Fife Council amended their policy in April 2020 to help reduce the bad potholes by fixing them all properly.

"In reality, it was designed to make it even more difficult for motorists to win legitimate claims.

"I know from the Freedom of Information requests I have received that the average pothole repair is less than £45 for each repair.

"If the council spent more time and money on repairing the potholes properly instead of wasting time, money and resources on fighting legitimate claims, the roads would be better for everyone."