CRUMP... Yes, the familiar sound of yet another Oxfordshire motorist’s car hitting a pothole.

And if this winter is as bad as the last, the chances are it could become a deafening chorus. Especially if threatened Government cuts mean less is spent on road repairs by Oxfordshire County Council.

One can only wonder then how it will hope to deal with the increasing number of compensation claims that will inevitably arise.

After all, this year alone, County Hall has paid out more than £300 a day to motorists whose cars were damaged by potholes.

Indeed, it’s coughed up nearly £87,000 after settling just 318 of the 964 compensation claims received.

You can’t accuse the council of sitting on its hands.

It has done an awful lot of work this year, resurfacing and repairing.

But maintaining our transport infrastructure is like painting the Forth Bridge, meaning no matter how hard you try and how much you do, there will always be more to do.

All then we can hope for is that the council will treat every claim fairly.

Unfortunately, with the inevitable tightening of purse strings and winter on the way, the only thing guaranteed is that motorists should prepare for a bumpy ride.