A village on the outskirts of Swansea has been divided over the impact of speed bumps that have recently been placed on main roads. Some locals claim the speed bumps are actually making the roads more dangerous for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians - and turning the village into a "racetrack". But others believe they have greatly improved road safety.
Back in March, Swansea Council confirmed it would be upgrading walking and cycling routes in Gowerton to "ensure hundreds of schoolchildren can get to and from school more safely". The Council applied for funding from the Welsh Government following concerns about the high numbers of pupils walking to two large schools and the "conflict with increasing volumes of vehicles travelling the same routes".
After a successful funding application, the council was awarded £280,000 to introduce a lower 20mph speed limit along key routes including Cecil Road, Gorwydd Road and Sterry Road in the village, and to install "speed cushions" and improve road crossings near the schools - but some residents are not happy about the measures introduced. Interestingly, the Welsh Government has now revealed its plan to change most 30mph speed zones in Wales to 20mph. You can read more about this in a previous article here.
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Whilst some Gowerton residents said they welcomed the new speed bumps and felt they were making drivers take better care when driving through the village, others claimed they were unnecessary and causing more harm than good.
In support of the speed bumps, one resident, who wished to be anonymous, said they didn't understand why the measures had become such a "negative talking point" in the community, labelling them a "positive improvement to road safety and reduction in speed". You can get more Swansea news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
But this viewpoint was challenged by local resident Alex Williams who claimed drivers were getting distracted by the speed bumps and spending more time focusing on driving over the bumps head-on than paying attention to what was around them. Passionate about the issue, he launched an online survey - which pulled in more than 700 responses - to ask locals for their thoughts on the traffic calming measures. Whilst the survey wasn't done in any official capacity, it did offer something of an insight into residents' views, he claimed.
"81% of people surveyed said 'no' [they don't want to have speed bumps here]," Alex said. "I would like to see the speed bumps removed, not the ones outside the school, the others on the road. They're causing damage to people's vehicles - some people have had broken suspension - and drivers are concentrating on the speed bumps, rather than focusing on what's going on around them."
Alex said he'd like Swansea Council to run a consultation with the public on what traffic-calming measures would be best for Gowerton and also wanted to see something done about the potholes on the roads in the area which he claimed were also causing issues. "I would like to see a wider and more encompassing consultation to the problem to understand why people want them [speed bumps] or why they don't, and the alternatives [alternative traffic-calming measures to speed bumps]," he said.
Also frustrated by the speed bumps, resident Richard Hywel Davies claimed the positioning of some had turned the village into a "racetrack". He explained: "I believe something needed to be done to calm the traffic in and around the village. However, I don't think the people that came up with the measures live here. I think some of the bumps they have put in are completely pointless and can be driven between, in particular on Brynymor Road, leading to the lights by the vets.
"The bumps added to Gorwydd Road are ridiculous and ones covering the whole width of the road would have been more sensible, and at the same time given due consideration to residents' requirements to park." You can read more stories about Gowerton here.
He continued: "The bollards in place in the centre of the road on Gorwydd Road are idiotic as there have been occasions where large vehicles have had to use the opposite carriageway just to get through. My biggest bugbear of all though, is the fact that Brynmor Road towards Tesco, Gurnos Road, Shaw Street, and the bottom of Mount Street have nothing in place - and it is a main route for pedestrians going to and from the primary school and comprehensive school. It has literally turned these roads into a racetrack.
"I believe a better conceived plan could have appeased everyone. The general consensus I get from people in the village is that something needed to be done but not this. Average speed cameras like they have from Gowerton to Llanmorlais would probably have as much of an effect on calming the traffic with far less disruption and animosity from locals."
'The new speed bumps are causing more danger and risk'
Another resident claimed the new speed bumps had added new "risks" and "stupid dangers" to everyone living in Gowerton or passing through. The resident, who has lived in Gowerton all her life and asked to be anonymous, said: "These additions are causing more danger and untold risks to all. I see youngsters on mopeds in front of me, unknowing the car in front is going to brake to a halt or carry on in second gear. For more traffic and travel stories, go here.
"They are travelling at a reduced speed anyway. I see oncoming cars on my side of the road to avoid their bumps , although they hit my bumps. Residents [that] have their cars parked outside their houses risk knocks, as I see many just flooring their cars to glide over the humps."
Fellow resident Carl Jones agreed: "Personally, I don't think they're [speed bumps] are needed. By the school is fine, but not elsewhere in Gowerton. The council says it has consulted the public, but we haven't been asked....it ruins the area, they're well over the top!"
Meanwhile, Gowerton resident Nicky Coates would like to see alternative traffic-calming measures used instead of the speed bumps. He said: "Speeding is definitely an issue, but I think cameras and fines and bans should be put in place.. or at least full-length speed bumps and not the little square ones as they wreck the inside of your tyres!"
Another local resident, Gerry Taylor, noted that the speed bumps could cause issues for him keeping his balance on his mobility scooter. "I've got no choice but to go on the road because the pavement is in such bad disrepair," he said. "When I go over the speed bump, I'm like nearly on two wheels and it's quite off-putting for me and I try to avoid it at all costs."
David Wilson-Evans, of Cedar Close in Gowerton, added: "The way the humps have been set up and the island outside our Close makes it difficult to turn right into the Close and if traffic is coming from the opposite direction, because of the angle to turn, cars can be stacked up behind.
"Further, me and my wife are both road cyclists. Not only is the state of the road dangerous due to all the potholes, but having to weave around the humps with parked cars etc makes it even more dangerous. We have noticed a lot of motorists in SUVs and lorries can drive straight over them without having to slow down which means the humps are not serving the purpose of slowing the traffic.
"A better solution would be cameras or humps across the full length of the road," he added. "It has not been thought out at all in my opinion and perhaps the council person should visit France where the speeding restrictions are better designed!"
Not only are the speed bumps claimed to be causing issues on the roads where they're located, but they're also alleged to be causing problems elsewhere as motorists make elaborate detours to ignore them. Resident Lisa Hopkin-Morgan told WalesOnline: "We have witnessed cars speeding up towards the Drovers Point mini-roundabout in the middle of the road to avoid the speed humps, with utter disregard to other road users. Sadly, some residents do not have the privilege of off-street parking and they are in fear of their cars being damaged."
Another issue claimed to have been caused by the positioning of the speed bumps is that it makes it difficult for large vehicles to pass through the road, and for people to park their caravans on their driveways. Resident Julie Bennett explained: "We are finding it difficult and have seen other big lorries struggle to go through where there are parked cars. They have every right to park outside their houses but where the bumps are it’s causing difficulty to get through."
Julie said she would like to see speed cameras installed instead of bumps, or the bumps to be repositioned to more "sensible" places. "It’s not good trying to fit through gaps made for cars but nothing bigger. We have lots of wide lorries going through Gowerton with static caravans on the back so that is made difficult too," she added.
'The speed bumps are made worse by the nearby potholes'
Community councillor and Gowerton resident Matthew Palmer said: "The speed bumps are already damaged, and the key issue here is that we have a big problem of potholes. They put these speed bumps in but haven't fixed the potholes, they haven't listened to the community. Motorbikes still speed [past them], lorries aren't affected by them!"
"Speeding has been as issue for some years, there have been a few incidents," Matthew added. "But more of an issue is the state of the road, potholes damage cars and can be hazardous to cyclists and motorcyclists. Road safety in general is an issue in the village."
Sharing photos of two of the potholes, Matthew added that one "has been hit a number of times and the centre island has been damaged" and noted that the bump had been placed directly on top of an "ARAF" road marking, warning of a mini-roundabout. Whilst a speed bump further down the road was located just after a pothole, meaning travelling along this stretch of road could be quite shaky and bumpy.
'The traffic calming measures have improved road safety'
Some locals are in full support of the speed bumps, however. They argue the measures have had a positive impact on the community as they have helped reduce motorists' speed in the village, ultimately meaning young people walking to and from school are safer than before.
One resident of Cecil Road in Gowerton, who asked to be anonymous, said motorists used to drive dangerously there, but were now slower and safer. "I'm not sure why the speed bumps have become such a negative talking point in Gowerton! I can see myself that the speed bumps are a positive improvement to road safety and reduction in speed," the resident said. "There are three schools in Gowerton, one being accessed directly on Cecil Road. Speeds along this road have been dangerous and excessive. Since the installation of the traffic calming measures there has been a reduction of the number of vehicles travelling at excess speeds on this road.
"I’ve read comments about driving up kerbs and along pavements to avoid speed bumps which is simply just dangerous and poor driving. Children walk along Gorwydd Road to access schools in Waunarlwydd and the manner of driving people are reporting on Facebook is extremely concerning for the safety of pedestrians," they added. "There’s no issue in reducing speed to drive over speed bumps within the 20mph speed zones. It seems as though people are inconvenienced by the traffic calming measures more than anything else. The reduction in the speed limit and introduction of traffic calming measures has improved road safety and also the environment.
"I do still witness speeding in areas where the speed limit was reduced to 20mph and people driving in the middle of the road to avoid the humps, but in my opinion this is just dangerous driving to avoid the measures implemented rather than any real problem."
Fellow resident Simon Thomas said he agreed with the council implementing speed bumps in Gowerton - but felt they were "poorly placed". "Gowerton is a busy thoroughfare to the Gower and beyond. Gorwydd Road and others are extremely busy and the fact there are two major secondary schools in the area and primary schools that are oversubscribed [makes the village even busier].
"Gorwydd Road is used by large haulage companies transporting caravans etc down to the holiday park plus more recently we have a major development on the road increasing traffic significantly. The road is used by parents parking to pick up children from the local secondary schools and there are a number of elderly people living on Gorwydd Road also. I agree with them being there, there is one that is poorly placed. The width could be increased and the bumps should be extended the full length of Gorwydd Road - it will make people slow down or face damage to your [their] car. It's a simple choice."
What does Swansea Council say?
A spokesperson for Swansea Council said: "The road regularly experiences heavy traffic. Speed surveys carried out prior to the introduction of the road safety scheme indicated that some cars were travelling as fast as 44mph on the approach to the comprehensive school. This is on the approach to a zone where the speed limit is 20mph.
"The area treated features two schools with hundreds of children walking the routes each day. Our concerns over the volume and speed of vehicles prompted us to develop a ‘safe routes in communities’ scheme which, overall, has been welcomed by the community, including both schools.
"The new measures, which feature a lower 20mph limit, speed cushions and improved crossing facilities should make the environment much safer for pedestrians and we would urge motorists to drive at the appropriate speed to help maintain that safety."
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