E-Scooter Rider Hospitalised After Crashing into Recurring Oxfordshire Pothole
An e-scooter rider required hospital treatment after hitting a dangerous pothole in Oxfordshire on Saturday evening. The incident occurred just after 6pm outside the Red Lion pub in Old Marston, Oxford, leaving the rider lying face down on the road with significant injuries.
Pub Staff and Patrons Rush to Aid Injured Rider
Following the crash, workers and customers from the Red Lion pub immediately rushed to assist the man. They called an ambulance and helped divert traffic around the injured rider while waiting for emergency services to arrive. The ambulance arrived approximately thirty minutes later.
Despite losing consciousness and suffering a bloody nose and mouth, the rider was discharged from hospital that same night. Diana Berry, the Red Lion's landlady, described the scene: 'A woman came in shouting that somebody's fallen in the pothole and we all rushed out to help. We diverted traffic and tried to make him comfortable but we didn't want to move him because he said his neck was hurting. He'd gone straight over the scooter onto his face.'
Recurring Pothole Problem Raises Safety Concerns
Ms Berry revealed that this particular pothole had already been filled in twice previously, which she described as 'very worrying.' This was the first time someone had actually fallen into it, however. She confirmed she had reported the hazardous defect to the parish council, who subsequently reported it to Oxford City Council.
CCTV footage from the incident shows the e-scooter rider approaching the pothole, the scooter being launched into the air upon impact, and the rider faceplanting onto the road surface. The rider was later seen returning to the pub to thank staff for their assistance and confirm he was recovering.
Local Garage Owner Highlights Widespread Road Damage
Zack Iqbal, owner of First Stop Spanner Works garage in Osney, Oxford, stated that the condition of Oxfordshire's roads is 'exceptionally bad.' He reported that his garage alone repaired approximately fifteen cars in January due to pothole damage.
'This footage shows how dangerous it is particularly for two-wheeled vehicles, like cycles, mopeds and scooters, and how dangerous it is after dark, when they're filled with water and you just can't see them,' Mr Iqbal commented. 'We can't have the councillors telling us everyone should go on two wheels and then not have the infrastructure to support that. I just think it's very, very poor.'
Mr Iqbal shared that he recently crashed his own motorbike after hitting a hidden pothole, requiring a tyre replacement. 'It's not just the damage it's causing, it's the anxiety too. I am really cautious now and I even avoid some roads, wherever I know there are particularly bad potholes.'
Council Response and Road Maintenance Efforts
Oxfordshire County Council declined to comment specifically on this incident as Oxford Road, where the crash occurred, is maintained by Oxford City Council. However, the county council stated that generally, more teams and resources are being allocated to pothole repairs, with repair crews more than doubling in recent weeks.
A spokesperson added that the council's focus remains on maintaining roads rather than just repairing them, noting that over £14.5 million has been invested since 2024 on surface dressing programmes to improve road conditions across the county.
