Bedford Road, Letchworth

[Grandad Gaz]

Have the council seen sense at last?

The speed bumps on this road are no longer! It's still a bit of a pain with raised bits near the school and at a couple of the adjoining roads, but nowhere near as bad as it was.

Hope they are gone for good

[Mug]

Over the last couple of days they have tarmac'd over where the bumps were, so unless they start to drill holes for bolts, they are gone for good.

Traffic is moving better already.

[Mug]

Right, this week, the highways dept have replaced all of the humps that they had previously removed. Bar Stewards!!!

A strongly worded email to the council is needed I think!!

[Spindoctor]

For the first time in ages I drove along Bedford Road on Saturday. Those offensive and completely unnecessary speed humps had been removed. The bigger speed islands (or whatever they're called) were still there, so driver speeds were still sensibly regulated. It was working really well - not much traffic, everyone driving sensibly.

If they've put those humps back just show me the petition and I'll sign.

Herts Highways should see how French towns and villages calm traffic - lesson to learn.

[Grandad Gaz]

Jeez, who needs speed humps when the whole road is in this state!

What will they blame it on this time? It can't be severe frost, we've only had a handful all winter. Perhaps it will be rain?

[Jonjo91]

The top(town) end of the road is in a terrible state now

Norton Way has some horrible holes in it now, almost un avoidable on car or bike!

[JB052]

If they've put those humps back just show me the petition and I'll sign.

Herts Highways should see how French towns and villages calm traffic - lesson to learn.
[/quote]

You can't leave it there. How do they do it?

[Speed_Demon]

Jonjo91 said:

The top(town) end of the road is in a terrible state now

Norton Way has some horrible holes in it now, almost un avoidable on car or bike!

You should see the Grange, utterly ridiculous.

[Jonjo91]

Drove the length of Bedford road last night, thanking my lucky stars I was going up the way towards town and now the other way, even a 4x4 driver would wince at the thought of those canyons.

[Spindoctor]

JB052 said:

You can't leave it there. How do they do it?

Must be time for a PH drive through rural France.

No speed humps, no potholes. Instead, gentle chicanes with flower boxes, two-way streets turned into separated carriageways. It works, you don't speed through their villages.

Can't see why it's never been tried here.

We default to ugly, damaging speed humps.

And, in case their traffic calming fails, the great eateries slow you right down to a stop.

[Perik Omo]

One of the villages near us, on a main "D" road, has installed speed sensitive traffic lights. If you exceed 50 km/h on entering the village past the town name sign then the lights 300m down the road turn red and hold you there for about 20 secs.

[Spindoctor]

Think I prefer chicanes with flower boxes.

But smart traffic lights are still a far smarter solution than big fat speed humps that look ugly, have damaging environmental effects and increase wear on normal cars at normal speeds. And they become complete no-go areas for cars that happen to be a little bit lower than normal. Discrimination.

[BT52]

Oh great, so last last night they sectioned off this section for filling in the holes.

http://www.thecomet.net/polopoly_fs/bedford_road_p...

Temporary filling in should last, ooh about 3 or 4 days judging from last year. I lost my Fiat bonnet badge along there 10 months ago due to hitting a hole.

They managed to properly redo the top of the road with the roundabouts in just 2 nights last year. They could do the same here.