Work under way to fix 'nightmare' speed bumps

Tony Fisher
BBC News, Bedfordshire
Holly Nichols / BBC A woman with blonde hair wearing sunglasses with a road in the background where work to remove speed humps is taking place.Holly Nichols / BBC
Resident Gerry Salmon said it was a good job they were removing the speed bumps

Speed bumps on a road are being replaced after residents complained they were too high.

The bumps, which were erected on First Avenue, in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, in November, did not meet Highways (Road Humps) Regulations 1999.

Resident Gerry Salmon described them as a "nightmare" and said "you scrape your car no matter how slow you go" as they were "way too high".

Councillor John Baker, executive member for finance and highways, at Central Bedfordshire Council said: "We are aware of the recent concerns regarding the installation of traffic calming humps on First Avenue in Dunstable and, following a subsequent review, it was identified that remedial works are needed."

Holly Nichols / BBC A newly installed speed hump on a road with barriers either side to protect the fresh paintwork and yellow lines.Holly Nichols / BBC
Councillor John Baker said he appreciated "residents' patience while we address the issue"

Ms Salmon said the humps "have been ridiculous" and it was "like climbing a mountain every time you go over them".

Another resident, Rita Eggleton, said they were "quite high but people just go too fast down here".

She said that "obviously it is more money" to fix them "when potholes need doing".

Tessa Webb said she lived right by one of the speed bumps and you could "hear the scraping and the banging as some people try and go over too fast".

She said "you could only go over them at about 5mph" and "it is dreadful".

Holly Nichols / BBC A woman with grey hair wearing glasses and a black cardigan and red top standing by a tree lined road with a car in the background. Holly Nichols / BBC
Tessa Webb said the humps "ruined your suspension"

Cllr John Baker said the remedial works were scheduled to continue until 12 March.

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