Removing speed bumps to cut pollution is a 'daft and irresponsible' Government plan, say campaigners

Campaigners say removing speed bumps to cut pollution is "daft and irresponsible" and would actually increase the risk to children.

Speed bumps could be ripped up from England's roads after Michael Gove, the Environment Secretary, suggested councils scrap them as part of plans to reduce pollution.

Mr Gove said town halls should prioritise "improving road layouts and junctions to optimise traffic flow, for example by considering removal of road humps".

However, road safety experts have written to ministers to warn them that the bumps are crucial in slowing down cars in residential areas, including near schools, and therefore save lives.

Living Streets, which campaigns for children to walk safely to school, told the BBC that if councils remove road humps without installing other safety measures, such as chicanes or speed cameras, it could deter children from walking and cycling.

The spokeswoman, Rachel Maycock, told the broadcaster: "This idea is completely daft and irresponsible.

"Of course we all worry about the air our children breathe - but we also worry about reckless drivers going far too fast."

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: ‘Removing speed humps, which are proven to be an effective way of reducing road casualties, would increase risk to all road users, but especially to pedestrians, pedal cyclists and children, and are one of the key reasons why death and injury on our roads have fallen so substantially over the last few decades.”

Speed bumps, which were introduced in Britain in the 1970s, are said to increase pollution as drivers slow down and speed up between them, almost doubling the amount of harmful pollution they pump out.

A Government spokeswoman told the BBC the changes would not compromise road safety.

She said: "Reducing roadside pollution is a priority for this government - which is why we have committed £3bn to help towns and cities take action against harmful emissions caused by dirty diesels."