Speed bumps could damage vehicles

CABBIES in Gravesend are threatening to bill the council for damage caused to their cars by recently installed speed bumps.

The cabbies have got the hump because 15 sleeping policemen' have been built in a stretch of road less than a mile long, in Central Avenue. The road is a major route from the town's shopping centre and cabs use it up to 30 times a day.

The drivers are worried at the damage the speed calming measure, installed three weeks ago, will have on their cabs' suspension, clutches and brakes.

They say it is a matter of time before their vehicles will have to be sent for repairs, at great cost to themselves.

And, to make matters worse, the furious cabbies say they are already out of pocket because they have to go so slowly between humps their metres switch from travelling to waiting tariff.

Rick Davis, chairman of the Gravesham Hackney Carriage Association, said: "I think it is appalling. Not only is this costing us money on maintenance we're losing money on every fare we do, which is insanity."

"We've decided unless something is done about these things we are going to start hitting Kent County Council (KCC) with our repair bills."

He added he is so angry he will forward bills from any Kent cabbie even if they are not a member of his Association.

But KCC spokesman Louise Bratton said the humps were necessary because Central Avenue had a high accident record nine crashes between July 1997 and July 2000.

She said the council had followed Government advice on the size of the humps.

"These guidelines are a result of lab research carried out to ensure the average vehicle, travelling within the speed limit, will be able to drive over a speed hump without sustaining damage."

She added the council was unlikely to review the scheme immediately as it would have to monitor the accident rates over a few years but the cabbies are welcome to make an approach with any claims for damages.

Mr Davis said the council should not interfere. "Speeding motorists is a police thing it's nothing to do with local councils."

He said speed cameras would be cheaper and then the police could solve the problem: "They could convict the guilty people and innocent motorists would not have to suffer the way they are now."