Ref. 25531-20ROAD users in Covingham are lobbying Swindon Council to remove speed bumps after complaining of damaged cars and bad backs.

Ten speed cushions, which cost the council almost £130,000, line about half-a-mile along Covingham Drive.

Now the authority is faced with the possibility of removing them.

Residents are not against the measures to slow traffic but said that the humps were a nuisance to road users, did little to reduce car speeds, damaged vehicles and aggravated back complaints.

Julieanne Mason, of Cheraton Road, has gathered a 400-strong petition that urges the council remove the humps altogether.

Mrs Mason, 53, said: "These humps are a nuisance and cause damage to cars and people who have bad backs or are recovering from operations. And people don't slow down anyway.

"If I'm doing five or 10mph along the road people behind get frustrated and I've even had someone overtake me I think the humps encourage dangerous driving.

"Covingham Drive is used as rat run between the A419 and the A420 and until that stops the problem will remain. I had to get rid of my old car because it became too expensive to repair we want these humps taken out," she said.

The speed humps were installed earlier this year at a cost of £127,000.

But before they were built, the council embarked on a consultation exercise in which 2,000 letters explaining what the scheme was about were sent to homes in the area.

The council received 615 replies, the majority of which were in support of the idea, said the council's traffic management and road safety officer Adrian Dean

Mr Dean said: "There has been quite a lot of concern along Covingham Drive from residents who feel that traffic calming is a problem.

"What we're trying to do is reduce the number of road casualties in the area, which has been identified as one of the worst in the borough for accidents. And if we want to reduce accidents then we will have to reduce speeds.

"Studies have revealed that for each one mph reduction in speed there will be a five per cent reduction in road casualties each year the simple measure is to reduce speed," Mr Dean said.

In the past five years there have been 52 injuries from road accidents in the Covingham area, four of which were classed as serious.

Earlier this year the council was forced to lower two speed humps along Fresh-brook Way after residents complained of similar problems. Parents complained that since the humps were installed drivers took detours along Beaumaris Road where nearly 400 children cross the road to reach Oliver Tomkins Infant Junior Schools.

Ward councillor Glenn Smith (Con, Covingham and Nythe) has arranged a public meeting to coincide with the Area East Panel on September 4. It will be held at the Civic Offices in Euclid Street, but a time still has to be confirmed.