Complaints over ‘awful’ noise caused by heavy vehicles

The ‘deafening’ noise of heavy vehicles going over speed humps in West Hill has sparked anger - with residents saying it is making their lives a misery.

People have spoken out about new calming measures in the woodland village – that have been branded ‘intrusive’ and ‘ineffective’ – complaining they now have to suffer through the ‘awful’ racket of trailers and lorries passing over them.

Ottery’s county councillor Claire Wright offered her support this week and hit out at Devon County Council’s (DCC) Conservative majority for voting the larger speed humps through against the recommendations of highways officers.

DCC has defended the traffic-calming measures that were installed in West Hill Road early this year, saying they were chosen following consultation with residents and in accordance with national standards.

Valerie Fry, of Warren Park, raised the issue after it came to a head at the weekend.

She said: “All day we had lorries bumping over the hump at speed. It must have been awful for anybody actually living on the main road.”

Councillor Wright said she has herself heard how noisy the village has become with heavy vehicles passing over the humps. She has alerted the community speed watch team to monitor whether speeding is exacerbating the problem.

Cllr Wright told the Herald: “I have received complaints in the last few days. I do know that everyone detests them [the speed humps].

“It’s a difficult one because DCC highways officers and I strongly recommended low profile speed cushions were installed, but it’s the Conservative majority that block voted the more intrusive ‘table-top’ humps in.”

A DCC spokesman said: “The three pairs of speed bumps were constructed following a public consultation in the autumn of 2014. The flat-top, raised table-style of traffic calming was chosen over ‘speed cushions’ because of concerns about the effect speed cushions could have on drivers with certain disabilities and on those moving livestock. They have been constructed to national standards and comply with the latest design criteria.”