5 year cumulative
These are the accident statistics supplied by the Council based on information provided by Transport for London.
Disregard the area marked in GREEN as this is already the subject of traffic calming measures.
The accidents are highlighted in YELLOW. They are shown as dots and the key for which is given bottom right.
The map is given here: 5 year Accident Map, covering the Hale End and Highams Park Consultation Area
In summary, there have been NO fatal accidents over the 10 years of statistics and an average of ONE serious accident per year for the 5 years shown overleaf. There are 11 minor accidents per year.
Almost 80% of the accidents occur in just 3 roads. These are in Larkshall Road, Hale End Road and The Avenue. The remaining 2½ accidents per year, mainly minor accidents, occur in the other 57 roads covered by the scheme.
This means that over 100 humps are proposed in 57 roads to address just 2½ mainly minor road accidents. This is NOT justified, especially when you consider that these humps bring with them their own unintended consequences, specifically for the Fire and Ambulance services.
On the side roads and cul-de-sacs, people drive at about 20mph therefore the road humps here would be ineffective. Obviously, we want all safer roads. But we don’t want 130 humps everywhere.
The Council has not given any consideration to the response time for emergency vehicles such as fire and ambulances which is increased by up to 10 seconds per hump. Indeed they have to travel even more slowly over humps if the are administering treatment to a patient. This will be critical in many cases such as infant emergencies or heart attack. The death rate from delayed emergency services could easily outweigh the already low (zero) fatal accident rate. The emergency services only get to comment on the plans and do not approve them.
These statistic do NOT support the introduction of 130 humps in 60 roads in this area. They DO, however, support targeted road calming measures.
The Council’s consultation document quotes the pedestrian survival rate of a
30-35mph impact as 50% whereas the RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) state a figure of 93% survival rate at 30mph.
The research undertaken by both AA and the world renowned TRL (Transport Research Laboratory) shows an increase in fuel consumption and hence in emissions when driving over road humps.