Number of speed bumps in UK increases to 42,000

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Tristan Shale-Hester 2019-07-18 17:00

The UK now has 42,000 individual speed bumps on a total of 14,000 different roads, with London Boroughs having the most

The number of speed bumps in the UK has increased by five per cent in the last three years, according to new data.

There are now more than 42,000 individual speed bumps in the UK, covering some 2,000 miles of road on 14,000 roads around the country. Furthermore, there are 12,000 other traffic calming measures, such as speed tables, ramps and width restrictions.

• A fifth of drivers say speed bumps have damaged their cars

The figures came from an investigation by Citroen, which sent Freedom of Information requests to more than 400 councils in the UK.

London Boroughs tend to have the highest number of speed bumps per mile of any local authorities. Newham Council, which is responsible for 125.28 miles of road, said 100 per cent of its roads have speed bumps on them.

Southwark Council was in second, but still quite a long way behind. The local authority is responsible for 210 miles of road, of which 71 per cent – approximately 148.24 miles – have speed bumps. Meanwhile, Hackney has speed bumps on 69 per cent of its 150 miles of road. 

Local authority (London only)	Miles of roads with bumps	Total miles responsible for	Percentage of roads
1. London Borough of Newham	125.28	125.28	100%
2. London Borough of Southwark	148.24	210	71%
3. London Borough of Hackney	104	150	69%
4. London Borough of Lewisham	159	244	65%
5. London Borough of Camden	86.7	159	55%
6. London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham	54.3	180.7	30%
7. City of Westminster	28	200	14%
8. London Borough of Hounslow	36.6	268.4	14%
9. Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea	7	117	6%
10. London Borough of Bexley	8.76	560	2%

Outside of London, Norwich City Council had the most speed bumps per mile – they're on 17 per cent of its 247.66 miles of road. Portsmouth City Council was third, with potholes on 13 per cent of its 284.6 miles of road, while 12 per cent of Bury Metropolitan Borough Council's roads have speed bumps.

Council	Miles of roads with bumps	Total miles responsible for	Percentage of roads
1. Norwich City Council	43.06	247.66	17%
2. Portsmouth City Council	36.35	284.6	13%
3. Bury Metropolitan Borough Council	46	400	12%
4. South Gloucestershire District Council	91.5	914	10%
5. Sheffield City Council	116.3	1217.2	10%
6. Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council	57	700	8%
7. Wirral Metropolitan Borough	60	737	8%
8. Redcar and Cleveland	34.93	449.8	8%
9. Wokingham Council	31.3	456.7	7%
10. East Sussex County Council	107.8	1994.6	5%

Speed bumps were first introduced in the UK in 1983 under The Highways (Road Humps) Regulations and are designed to slow drivers down in built-up areas.

Under the Highways (Road Humps) Regulations 1999, councils have devolved power from central Government to install humps and associated calming measures on roads with speeds of up to 30mph in the interests of road safety.

Souad Wrixen, marketing director at Citroen UK, commented: “Speed bumps and other traffic calming measures have their place on UK roads helping to improve road safety and reduce fatalities.”

Are there better ways of controlling traffic that installing speed bumps? Have your say in the comments..

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