A CYCLIST has been forced to spend thousands on dentist bills after smashing several teeth when he hit a pothole and flew off his bike.
Avid cyclist James Noel was cycling to work from his home in Fair Oak when he was knocked off his bike due to the pockmarked road.
The 45-year-old IT worker at Quilter said it “all happened so quickly”.
'I couldn't move my jaw'
The father-of-three said: “I was cycling along Western Esplanade opposite the National Express coach station.
“The next thing I knew I was on the road spitting my teeth out and wondering where the blood was coming from.
“After being administered first aid at work I went to A&E and had my chin stitched up – seven stitches in total.
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“I had three broken teeth and needed fillings and a crown, but my dentist was amazed I hadn’t broken my jaw.
“I couldn’t eat for a few days and my jaw couldn’t move around.
“I thought I hit something, so I went back to look at the road and it was in a state.”
James took some pictures of the road and sent it to the council, along with a claim for his dental work which cost him between £1,200-£1,400.
He was told Balfour Beatty, which works in partnership with the council, visited the site the following the day of the crash in July.
Luckily, his bike was not extensively damaged but he had to pay £50 for a new bike helmet.
'A duty of care'
Although the pothole James believed he hit has since been fixed, there remain several uneven surfaces and potholes on the road.
He said: “The city centre infrastructure is very poor to cycle through.
“For me, the council needs to look at how it can prevent incidents like this from occurring. I wasn’t taking any risks or darting between drivers, so there’s a duty of care when it comes to the roads and infrastructure.
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“How is it going to be reviewed? I have now lost my mojo and it’s going to take a bit of courage for me to get back on and ride into work again.
“I am now financially out of pocket so the council should at least meet the costs incurred for my injuries. And they should fix the road.”
Council responds
In response, Southampton City Council said: “We cannot comment on individual cases, there is a clear process and procedure that can be accessed online.
“Balfour Beatty carry out all highways inspections and repairs to agreed standards and administer the process relating to insurance claims on behalf of the council who are the Highway Authority.”
The spokesperson added: “Section 58 of the Highways Act 1980 allows Authorities a defence if we can show that reasonable steps were taken to maintain the highway.
“This means inspections and repairs being carried out as planned and in accordance with the council’s policies.”
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