Speed bumps could potentially disappear from Britain’s roads as part of the Government’s plans to reduce pollution among our streets.
As part of a new clean air strategy set to be unveiled by the Government later this month, councils will be advised to take measures to improve the flow of traffic to reduce pollution levels. Among the measures under consideration, the removal of speed bumps and other traffic-calming measures is possible.
Such traffic-calming measures could be removed to stop cars from repeatedly slowing down and speeding up, which nearly doubles the amount of harmful gases they pump out.
Research from Imperial College London has found that driving over speed bumps in a diesel car produces 98 per cent more nitrogen dioxide compared to driving over less steep and severe rubber speed cushions.
It is possible than that councils may scrap the use of speed bumps and replace them with rubber speed cushions, which are normally placed in groups of two or three across the road and require less deceleration than speed bumps which cover the entire length of a road.
Other options expected to be considered under the new strategy include better sequencing of traffic lights to ensure that drivers will keep arriving at green lights rather than red ones.
The proposals are not expected to include a scrappage scheme for older diesel cars though, despite diesel car drivers facing fees of up to £20 to drive in certain urban areas under a new “toxin tax”. Such a scheme is reportedly under consideration but it is unlikely to be addressed until the autumn budget, at the earliest.