"It would not make a “blind bit of difference” - council approves speed bumps on Tangier Road despite doubts

The council’s cabinet member for transport, Councillor Peter Candlish, approved 19 speed cushions along the road in Baffins ward.

According to the council’s consultation, “two thirds of respondents are concerned about speeding on Tangier Road,” with child safety and difficulty crossing the road cited as the biggest worries.

Cllr Darren Sanders said frustrations surrounding speed reduction measures have been growing for a long time in the area.

He noted the nine accidents on the road as of July this year, stating: “Speed is a problem and we need to make sure that people feel safe walking across the road.”

However, local ward Cllr Leonie Oliver said the proposals are “long and overdrawn” and expressed local residents’ frustrations.

She said that the use of double yellow lines on Tangier Road, which she argued is “impossible to achieve”, would make the road wider and safer.

She acknowledged that speed bumps would be the quickest and cheapest way to control speed in the area but “personally don’t think it will make a blind bit of difference I think if anything there’ll be more accidents” due to motorists “jumping over” speed bumps to get past zebra crossings.

Cllr Bosher noted the absence of a speed survey to demonstrate the need for reduction measures.

Officers said the majority of drivers are not exceeding the 30mph speed limit, and that the measures are aimed more at encouraging behaviour change in the local area. Community research suggests that people feel anxious when vehicles travel above 20mph.

Cllr Candlish said: “This is not solely a speed or safety driven report.

“I am going to support this – I think it will improve things in that section of Tangier Road. Will it be a solution? It will not. Will it be better than where we are today? Yes.”

More information about the scheme can be found here.