Rip up speed humps -- call

Conservative councillors say they are prepared to fight to make their communities speed hump free as the borough's new road safety chief admitted the council had over relied on the traffic calming measure in the past.

Many residents in Lostock are opposed to council plans to install road humps and 20mph speed limits on roads -- including the villages cul-de-sacs. Tory councillor Bob Allen, who represents the Heaton and Lostock ward, said residents wanted traffic calming measures -- but did not want speed humps thrown down "willy-nilly".

He said: "The council needs to be more imaginative in combating the problem of slowing traffic and not simply resort this harmful measure every time." "I am in favour of measures to slow down traffic if it reduces the number of accidents but the indiscriminate use of speed humps seems to be the only thing the council can come up with."

Roy Walmsley, chairman of the Lostock Residents Group, said: "There is a degree of common sense lacking in this scheme and I can see no reason for putting speed humps in cul-de-sacs.

"We need to slow down drivers on some roads but the council should look at what alternatives could be used."

The new Conservative councillor for Breightmet, Cllr Bob Wilkinson claims he won his seat on an anti-speed hump platform which saw him romp home ahead of his Labour rivals.

He believes the victory has given him a mandate to stand up against the "sleeping policemen".

Cllr Wilkinson wants all speed humps in Leverhulme ripped up claiming there is evidence they cause extra pollution, impede emergency vehicles and damage cars. He said: "Most of the people living in this area are against speed humps and there has to be an alternative to continually putting something in the road that impedes the smooth flow of traffic."

Cllr Wilkinson believes that traffic claiming measures such as chicanes, rippled road markings and coloured roads can be more effective at slowing reckless drivers.

The council's new executive member for environment, Liberal Democrat Cllr David Wilkinson admitted the council had become over reliant on speed humps.

He said: "We are looking at other methods but there is no doubt that speed humps have been very effective in certain areas and are very popular with the public."

"The residents in Lostock want measures to slow traffic and have been very supportive of the scheme."

NEW calls to rip up speed humps were being made today as plans to install another 50 in Lostock were unveiled by Bolton Council.

Conservative councillors say they are prepared to fight to make their communities speed hump free as the borough's new road safety chief admitted the council had over relied on the traffic calming measure in the past.

Many residents in Lostock are opposed to council plans to install road humps and 20mph speed limits on roads -- including the villages cul-de-sacs. Tory councillor Bob Allen, who represents the Heaton and Lostock ward, said residents wanted traffic calming measures -- but did not want speed humps thrown down "willy-nilly".

He said: "The council needs to be more imaginative in combating the problem of slowing traffic and not simply resort this harmful measure every time."

Roy Walmsley, chairman of the Lostock Residents Group, said: "There is a degree of common sense lacking in this scheme and I can see no reason for putting speed humps in cul-de-sacs.

"We need to slow down drivers on some roads but the council should look at what alternatives could be used."

The new Conservative councillor for Breightmet, Cllr Bob Wilkinson claims he won his seat on an anti-speed hump platform which saw him romp home ahead of his Labour rivals.

He believes the victory has given him a mandate to stand up against the "sleeping policemen".

Cllr Wilkinson wants all speed humps in Leverhulme ripped up claiming there is evidence they cause extra pollution, impede emergency vehicles and damage cars.

Cllr Wilkinson believes that traffic claiming measures such as chicanes, rippled road markings and coloured roads can be more effective at slowing reckless drivers.

The council's new executive member for environment, Liberal Democrat Cllr David Wilkinson admitted the council had become over reliant on speed humps.

He said: "We are looking at other methods but there is no doubt that speed humps have been very effective in certain areas and are very popular with the public."