DRIVERS and riders across the district have been paid out a total of £45,000 in compensation by Bradford Council in the past two years for damage caused to vehicles due to road conditions.

The figures for April 2012 to March 2014 show that there were almost 300 claims to the authority, with the vast majority relating to damage to cars due to potholes.

Of the claims, only a small portion proved successful — 12 per cent, or 34 claims.

The largest claim relates to an incident in August 2012, when a car was damaged after hitting an unmarked traffic island. This resulted in a payout of £24,253.80.

Most claims relate to damage caused by potholes (195), followed by other reasons (87), ice (nine) and highway work (three).

The other types of damage relate to hitting debris in the road, speed humps, a traffic island, raised ironworks and chippings.

The figures, made available following a Freedom of Information request, come as an announcement was made last month of £32 million in funding for Bradford district for road maintenance and repairs, including fixing potholes, in the next six years.

Councillor Val Slater, executive member for housing, planning and transport, welcomed the Government funding but said the district needs even more cash to fix the pothole problem.

She added: "I do not think Bradford’s roads are in any worse state than in any other major city or district in the UK. We have been patching things up.

“We have the money coming over in chunks over the next six years but I do not think we are getting sufficient funds."