Remove all speed humps to save lives, say Tories

Plans to remove all speed humps within two years were unveiled by the Conservatives today.

Shadow transport secretary Tim Yeo said road humps put lives at risk by delaying emergency services. He also said traffic calming increased pollution as drivers constantly have to slow down and speed up.

The Tories have tabled an amendment to the Road Safety Bill proposing no new speed humps be permitted on any public road.

The amendment adds that within two years of the Act "all speed humps constructed for traffic calming purposes should be removed". Speed humps were introduced in 1981 and there are more than 30,000 in London. Safety campaigners say they have saved thousands of lives, pointing out that deaths and serious injuries have fallen by 57 per cent.

But London Ambulance Service claims humps cause up to 500 deaths a year because crews are delayed reaching heart attack victims.

Mr Yeo told The Times: "They probably do more harm than good."