ANGRY residents worried about speeding outside their houses have been offered their own hi-tech gadget and told to patrol the street themselves.

Transport officials at City of York Council have offered people in Westminster Road an automated sign, which flashes to tell motorists if they are going too fast.

Residents are also being offered training to allow them to become makeshift traffic cops.

Local councillor Ken King said the residents had volunteered for the move, but he said: “It’s not the best solution for residents to operate this themselves.”

The move comes after the council removed speed humps from Westminster Road, to allow delivery lorries to more easily access the site of the new sports pitches at St Peter’s School.

Transport officials removed the humps but painted ‘dummy humps’ on the street, in attempt to convince motorists to slow down.

Residents asked for more action, to stop people using The Avenue and Westminster Road as a short-cut to avoid the traffic lights at Clifton Green.

A council spokeswoman said yesterday there were no recorded speeding incidents in Westminster Road though, and said: “The speed humps will be reinstated as soon as possible and before the completion of the works on site at the school.

“In response to residents’ concerns the council has offered a Community Speed Indicator Device (a mobile flashing speed limit sign) and the training to use it, so that they are empowered to address their own concerns for the period they are without traffic calming.”

Coun King said: “It’s a ‘do-it-yourself’ job, but there were some residents at the recent ward meeting who said they were interested in it.”

One Westminster Road resident, Paul Moran, said the removal of the humps had led to more speeding.

He said: “The immediate result, obvious to any observer, was a dramatic and serious increase in the speed of traffic using Westminster Road as a ‘rat-run’ to avoid the Clifton Green traffic lights.”

He said he had phoned the council but accused the traffic officer he spoke to of indifference over the issue, and of saying there was nothing she, nor residents, could do about it.

Coun King’s fellow councillor, David Scott, said: “Residents wanted the speed humps returning, but unfortunately this was not possible due to planning conditions on the neighbouring development.

“What I have managed to secure is temporary speed signs to assist residents and users of the road so that the speed limit is clear.”