The money saved by not reinstating humps in sections of three roads to be resurfaced will be used to improve safety around three schools and to resurface additional roads.
The Executive Councillor for Transport, Highways and Road Safety, Councillor Nicholas Bennett recently commissioned a survey of residents in the Chelsfield Lane, Lovibonds Avenue, Orpington and Hawes Lane, West Wickham areas.
“I have noted the number of responses and I am grateful to all who replied and the comments made by residents and ward councillors particularly in respect of the schools in Lovibonds Avenue”, said Councillor Bennett.
Councillor Bennett continued, “The sections of carriageway immediately in front of Hawes Down Primary, The Glebe, Darrick Wood Infant and Junior Schools will not be resurfaced at this time as they were resurfaced within the last ten years and are structurally sound. Therefore humps will remain at these locations. I have decided that the humps will not be reinstated where resurfacing is needed and that some of the savings will be used to install two 20 MPH flashing signs which will operate when pupils are arriving and leaving the schools in Lovibonds Avenue. The resurfacing will be delayed until the signs have arrived. The remainder of the savings will be used to resurface additional roads which will lessen the chances of potholes.
“The cost of including road humps is up to £2,000 to reinstall each hump, money that could be used for resurfacing elsewhere. Roads with speed humps also deteriorate faster than those which do not.
Councillor Bennett observed, “These costs cannot, in any event, be afforded at a time when the council faces a budget deficit in the next few years of £60 million and the road network in general needs renewal.”
The Council has a rolling programme to resurface streets across the Borough, with condition surveys helping them prioritise streets most in need. Some of the streets to be resurfaced each year have road humps. The humps were installed many years ago when it was considered that the benefit of such humps to create ‘traffic calming’ outweighed the disadvantages of damage to vehicles and delays to the emergency services. The use of humps evidently delays emergency services vehicles and causes discomfort to bus and car passengers. Road humps and raised tables can also lead to complaints from residents about increased noise and vibration from traffic.
For these reasons the Council decided not to introduce any further road humps in the Borough and to only use tables as a last resort at junctions where there were significant numbers of accidents. There is a range of alternative measures to encourage lower vehicle speeds, such as warning signs, roadside posters, safer speed campaigns/events and driver/rider training programmes, such as the young driver traffic education scheme and Driven by Consequences.
The resurfacing of these streets is due to take place in the coming months once the road safety measures are installed.
ENDS
For media enquiries, please contact Andrew Rogers, Head of Public Affairs, on 020 8461 7670 or email Andrew.Rogers@bromley.gov.uk.