Transport and streets

We receive many requests from residents for these to be introduced in their roads to reduce traffic speeds and improve safety. However, the police, fire brigade, ambulance service and London Transport object to the proliferation of road humps and raised tables.

Their objections are that humps increase attendance times for emergency calls and increase the risk to lives and property. 

Also, the ambulance service and London Regional Transport say they can cause discomfort and possible injury to their passengers.

There are strict regulations governing the layout of road humps. For example, it is good practice, though not required, to provide an "entry" feature to a system of humps or tables. These are usually formed by a change of priority which forces traffic entering the system to turn sharp left or right into the road, or has a "give way" sign. Busy mini roundabouts are often used at the start of a system of humps.

The shape of road humps is strictly regulated:

• they must be between 50mm and 100mm high, at least 2.75m long and cover the full width of the road, except for a drainage channel at either side
• they may have either flat or round tops
• flat-topped humps can be of any length and are often known as speed tables. They can be used to reduce the impact on long wheelbase vehicles such as buses.

The council has adopted the 75mm high hump as a standard, which reduces traffic to around 22mph. The 100mm high hump reduces speeds to 17mph on the hump itself, but speeds rise to 35mph between the humps, causing excessive acceleration and braking, and increased pollution.

Road humps and raised tables can lead to complaints about increased noise and sometimes increased vibration from traffic. They are, however, the only guaranteed way of reducing traffic speed.

Contact Details

Contact name

Traffic, Transportation & Road Safety

Telephone

020 8726 6000

Fax

020 8760 5486

Address

18th Floor
Taberner House
Park Lane
Croydon
CR0 1JT