A POTHOLE which is causing drivers to swerve is "not dangerous", according to council officials who said it will continue to be monitored.

Brian Petty, has reported concerns about the safety of a deep pothole on a road alongside Cockerton Green, in Darlington.

Mr Petty, 80, said he drives the road regularly and swerves to avoid the pothole – and has noticed other drivers doing the same

He said: “They (the council) don’t do anything about it when you complain so what’s the point? The council must see the potholes when they drive through Darlington themselves and they still do nothing about it.”

As the road is near a primary school, Mr Petty also expressed his concern over the safety of children, adding: “A little kid could get killed when someone swerves to miss the pothole.I’ve spoken to one or two people and they feel the same way.”

A Darlington Borough Council spokeswoman said: “All actionable defects in the area of Cockerton Green were picked up in a routine inspection and found not to be dangerous. They are due to be repaired. In the meantime, the area will be monitored and, if there is any further deterioration, we will take action.

“We welcome reports from residents about potholes as they may bring defects to our attention that have occurred outside the window of routine inspections.”

Darlington Borough Council spent £5,434.21 on highway claims due to personal injury or vehicle damage caused by potholes, between 2014 and 2019.

A freedom of information request on the amount of successful and unsuccessful claims made to Darlington Borough Council revealed that the council paid out a total of £3,184.21 to claims of vehicle damage caused by potholes.

The council also paid out a total of £2,250 for a claim of personal injury caused by potholes. This was one incident wherein the person was riding a bicycle and was left injured by a pothole.

To report a pothole anywhere on the Darlington Borough Council road network call 01325-405222 or report it online at www.darlington.gov.uk/potholes

According to Darlington Borough Council’s website, the authority maintains 366 miles of highways in Darlington and fill an average of 6,000 to 8,000 potholes a year.

If a pothole is less than 1.6 inches or less than 0.8 inches on a footpath it will not be repaired, However, the council will keep inspecting it.