Are these the most expensive speed bumps ever? Gosport Council spends £20,000 of taxpayers’ money on ‘ridiculous’ bumps in a CAR PARK – to ‘stop boy racers doing doughnuts’
- Residents are furious after the council installed the bumps in Lee-on-the-Solent
- Bumps cost £15,100 while adjoining raised flowerbeds added £4,680 to the bill
- Locals said it was ‘ridiculous’ that there was ‘no other way’ to keep out boy racers
A council has sparked outrage after spending £20,000 of taxpayers’ money installing speed bumps in a single car park in an attempt to deter ‘boy racers’.
Residents are furious that cash-strapped Gosport Borough Council in Hampshire has splashed the cash on dozens of the bumps which now cover the seaside car park in Lee-on-the-Solent.
The bumps themselves, in the Beach Road car park, set the council back £15,100.
It then forked out an extra £4,680 on raised flower beds to prevent drivers from going around them.
The council said the measures have been put in place to stop boy racers, who regularly visit the site at night and race their cars while performing so-called ‘doughnuts’.
Residents are furious that cash-strapped Gosport Borough Council in Hampshire has splashed the cash on dozens of the bumps which now cover the seaside car park in Lee-on-the-Solent
The bumps themselves, in the Beach Road car park, set the council back £15,100 – while raised flowerbeds to prevent drivers from going around them added £4,680 to the bill
The council said the measures have been put in place to stop boy racers, who regularly visit the site at night and race their cars while performing so-called ‘doughnuts’
But users of the car park, which include people accessing bottle banks, say the council may get sued for damage to vehicles which will cost taxpayers even more.
Emergency worker and resident Paul Atkinson said: ‘What an appalling further waste of taxpayers’ money.
‘Fingers crossed you have shares in the businesses that are profiting from this pointless waste.
‘Simple solution – there is a big gate with a lock already, and signs saying car park closed at night.
‘As someone who drives an emergency vehicle, speed bumps are a time delaying nuisance if you correctly policed the problems in the first instance, instead of letting people get away with it, you would not need all these money-wasting.’
Another local added: ‘Why not stop throwing money away and install a good quality camera to record number plates and faces and prosecute every one of them?’
One branded the situation ‘ridiculous’, saying: ‘Even bumpier ride to the bottle bank.. why is all this money being spent?
Users of the car park, which include people accessing bottle banks, say the council may get sued for damage to vehicles which will cost taxpayers even more
Local Councillor Graham Burgess said: ‘Despite measures taken some time ago to stop racers speeding in this car park, further traffic calming measures have been installed to stop those trying to perform “Doughnuts” in the car park’
‘It’s ridiculous that we cannot stop a few idiots from careering around a car park at night without going to these lengths!’
Others fear the bumps will end up being removed at yet another cost to the council.
Another added: ‘I’ve never seen such measures and effort (and money) expended in any car park before.
‘I guess a councillor or friend of a councillor lives opposite.’
Local Councillor Graham Burgess said: ‘Despite measures taken some time ago to stop racers speeding in this car park, further traffic calming measures have been installed to stop those trying to perform “Doughnuts’ in the car park.”‘
Gosport Borough Council said: ‘At this time it is unlikely that the scheme will be extended to other car parks.’
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