Getting the hump over speed bumps

Nov 1 2007 By Anna Jeys, Birmingham Mail

DRIVERS in Solihull and Great Wyrley have got the hump over speed bumps.

Two of their local speed bumps topped the polls as among the worst on Britain's roads.

The familiar sound of clanging exhausts rings out through Hurdis Road in Shirley, Solihull, and Tower View Road, in Great Wyrley, near Cannock, according to a poll.

The gripes of families living in the two roads have now been echoed by a national survey by Continental Tyres, which came up with a hitlist of the top ten bad bumps.

The worst in Britain was found on Tower View Road, Great Wyrley, and lies in the path of a notorious flood spot, often submerged in water and hidden from view.

The bump in Hurdis Road, ranked as the second worst, is lower on one side and is so steep that it causes the front end of people's cars to slam into the ground. Other offending speed bumps giving residents a headache were found in Leicester, Cirencester, Bolton and Devon.

Continental Tyres invited members of the public to nominate the worst speed bump before getting design experts to scrutinise them and received numerous complaints about the top two.

Cabinet member for transport, highways and infrastructure at Solihull Council, Coun Ted Richards, said: "Speed humps were put along Hurdis Road in 1991 following seven recorded personal injury accidents, three of which resulted in death or serious injury.

"They were the first humps to be used in the borough and we tested out different heights and shapes and listened to feedback from residents to find the best solution.

"The speed humps in Hurdis Road have proved successful in reducing volumes of traffic and traffic speeds and led to a significant reduction in injury accidents."

A Staffordshire County Council spokesman said: "We are aware of some concerns raised and we have been looking at the speed humps in Tower View Road. We are currently considering our findings."'You can see sparks coming off cars'

The Birmingham Mail went to Hurdis Road to find out what residents thought.

Families said the hump was too steep and cars could constantly be heard scraping the road.

Retired design engineer Frank Beesley, aged 73, has lived on the road for 37 years.

He said: "We need traffic calming because kids race around here like Silverstone but the bumps on Hurdis Road are ridiculous. They are too high and there are too many of them. Sometimes you can see sparks coming off people's cars as they go over."

Bob Malin, aged 50, has lived in the road for 20 years.

He said: "Sometimes you hear cars scraping the floor and its very loud.

"I have to go over it very slowly because I carry glass tubes in my van for work and they could break."

Jadie Smith, a 21-year-old part-time barmaid, said: "I only had a bump in the car going over it the other day. It's quite steep and people come over it really fast and then brake because they don't realise how steep it is."

Part-time hairdresser Wendy Mohammed said: "I drive over it every day and you have to be very careful when you are driving over it that your car doesn't hit the road.

"It is also close to a junction so if you are stuck in traffic, the car can slip off and go into the car in front."