Newly released figures have identified Tamworth Road in Sutton Coldfield as the street with the highest number of pothole claims in Birmingham over the past 12 months.
Following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by BirminghamLive, a spokesperson for Birmingham City Council confirmed, “Currently Tamworth Road, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham has had the most claims.”
While the council did not disclose the exact number of claims linked specifically to Tamworth Road, it revealed that a total of 499 claims were submitted citywide since August 2023, with £30,103.91 paid out in compensation for vehicle damage caused by potholes.
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It remains unclear how many of these claims were successful.
Sutton Trinity ward councillor David Pears spoke to BirminghamLive about recent patchwork repairs carried out by the council’s highways maintenance contractor, Kier, along parts of Tamworth Road. Despite these efforts, he highlighted that the most severely affected section between Lichfield Road and the railway bridge has not yet been repaired.
“Towards the end of last year and the start of this year, Kier did some patching work on Tamworth Road in sections,” said Cllr Pears. “They repaired parts before the bridge coming from Whitehouse Common and between Bedford Road and the railway bridge.”
He added, “However, the stretch from the railway bridge to Lichfield Road, which climbs a hill, remains in very poor condition. I’ve raised this with Kier multiple times, but they say it doesn’t meet the criteria for repair.”
Supporting this, BirminghamLive captured video footage and photographs showing visible potholes along the road leading to Bassetts Pole roundabout.
A council spokesperson responded, “Tamworth Road undergoes routine inspections monthly by driven safety teams and biannual walked inspections. Highway Safety Inspectors assess defects using a defined risk matrix that considers factors such as pedestrian safety, defect severity, road type, and traffic volume.”
“Only defects meeting safety-risk criteria are scheduled for repair. Those not meeting these standards are currently excluded from planned works. Our teams will continue to monitor and prioritise defects based on safety and road conditions, alongside an extensive ongoing repair programme across Birmingham.”
Both Birmingham City Council and Kier were contacted for further comment.
This latest information highlights ongoing challenges with road maintenance in Birmingham, particularly on Tamworth Road, which continues to affect motorists in the area.