Speed cushions cut speed - by 1mph

City of York Council officers calculate that average traffic speeds on University Road have been cut from 22.5 mph to 21.5 mph since the measures were introduced last autumn.

A disabled Heslington woman, who last year made an impassioned appeal for the authority not to install the two additional pairs of humps on an experimental basis, said the reduction was a minimal benefit at the expense of additional pain for her and others with similar conditions.

Anneliese Emmans Dean, who suffers from fibromyalgia, queried how the council came up with its average speed figures and said: "The 1mph speed reduction that they claim to have measured is completely offset by the increased pain, suffering and injury inflicted by road humps/cushions that they do not measure.

"I write this with back pain inflicted yesterday by my having to go over these speed 'cushions'. Who measured that injury? No-one."

She said last year that the chair of York Osteoporosis Society had described going over humps as 'agony' and claimed they could cause bones to fracture.

But a report to a decision session for transport executive member Ian Gillies earlier this month, following a review of the scheme, said extensive research of traffic calming schemes over many years had shown that a 1mph speed reduction equated to about 5 per cent fewer accidents.

"So, although the extra cushions have only achieved a small additional speed reduction, it is recommended that they are now retained to make the scheme as robust and safe as possible," said transport projects manager Mike Durkin.

He said the University of York supported the additional cushions and a new refuge, and considered the scheme had brought risk on University Road down to an acceptable level, and North Yorkshire Police also supported the cushions.

Cllr Gillies, who agreed last year to the humps being installed for a six month trial period, after which they could be removed if they proved ineffective, agreed to them becoming a permanent feature.