Residents and motorists across the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon area are among those affected by a dramatic rise in pothole-related claims, with new figures showing that claims across Northern Ireland have increased by more than 600% in five years.
The figures were raised at the Northern Ireland Assembly on October 13, when DUP MLA for Newry and Armagh Gareth Wilson called on Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins to address what he described as a worsening problem on the roads.
Claims rise from 237 to 1,687
According to information cited by Mr Wilson, pothole-related claims increased from 237 in 2021/22 to 1,687 in 2025/26. He said more than one in four claims made during the most recent financial year came from the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon area.
The figures were discussed alongside public liability expenditure of more than £4.4 million over the past five years across the ABC East and West Roads Division. That spending relates to claims connected with road conditions and is ultimately paid from public funds.
Mr Wilson said the scale of the increase was particularly concerning because the Department for Infrastructure’s own statistics showed how sharply the number of claims had grown. He argued that the money could instead be directed towards public services and investment in roads and other infrastructure.
Motorists report damage and breakdowns
Speaking about the experiences of constituents, Mr Wilson said some motorists had been left stranded after encountering dangerous defects. He also referred to one motorist who, he said, had been forced to pay £7,000 to repair vehicle damage caused by a pothole.
He said the situation was especially unacceptable where motorists had repeatedly reported defects through the Department’s reporting system but still experienced problems on the roads.
The MLA acknowledged that years of underinvestment predated the current Infrastructure Minister’s time in office. However, he challenged Ms Kimmins’ position that historic difficulties could explain the condition of the network, arguing that road conditions were continuing to deteriorate.
Call for action from Infrastructure Minister
Mr Wilson told the Assembly that the condition of the roads was already obvious to people who travelled across Northern Ireland. He urged the Infrastructure Minister to take action on what he called a spiralling issue in her borough.
The figures do not identify individual roads or list specific pothole repairs in Armagh. They do, however, place the ABC area at the centre of concerns about rising claims and public liability costs. The next step sought by Mr Wilson is action from the Department for Infrastructure to tackle the defects and reduce the financial burden on the public purse.