This report reviews the performance of the Traffic Calming Schemes implemented in Kent before June 1991. It assesses their effectiveness and gives guidance for planning new schemes. Until 1983 the Department of Transport (DTp) would not sanction the use of vertical obstructions (i.e. road humps) in the public Highway. 1983 brought a change in this rule, but the new reasons were so restrictive as to make their use virtually untenable. Further relaxation of the rules in 1986 made the use of road humps much more practical. In response to the Government commitment to the reduction of road accident casualties by one third by the year 2000 the DTp further revised the rules to allow different types and shapes of road hump and also relaxed the requirements for spacing. Government statistics suggest that road humps can be effective in keeping speeds low in an area where other physical speed restrictions are present. Low speeds reduce the number and severity of accidents. Six schemes are reviewed. Five were implemented with the intention of reducing injury accidents, one scheme, Cobham Village, was implemented in order to reduce traffic speeds and to improve the environment by reducing through traffic. (A)
Abstract