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Senate directs Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to remove indiscriminate speed bumps

The Senate has directed the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to remove all speed bumps indiscriminately erected on the federal highways, as well as regulate and standardize the construction of all speed bumps.

The directive was adopted by Senator Barnabas Gemade and Senator Stella Oduah on Tuesday, with a motion titled ‘Urgent Need to Control the Indiscriminate Erection of Speed Bumps on Federal Roads Nationwide’.

The Senators, who voted in favour of the removal of the speed bumps, tasked the Ministry to implement the set regulations for fixed structures along highways and urged the planning authority to enforce regulations for motor parks, markets and places of worship.

Senator Gemade said speed bump causes “accelerated wear and tear of vehicles, loss of many hours when quantified nationwide and damage to vehicle suspension systems as most of these bumps are not professionally designed”.

He accused the Department of Highways, in the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing of not controlling the development of structures along federal highways and allowing illegal fixed structures to be erected less than the prescribed 45 meter, off the roads.

“The Senate observes that these bumps are indiscriminately erected in several communities, villages, hamlets, near petrol stations, markets, roadside bukas and even individual homes”.

The Senator mentioned that the Federal Road Safety Corps had earlier introduced a speed control device to be installed in commercial vehicles, adding that the Senate was aware that speed controls, especially around hospitals and schools were very important.

“The Senate believes that federal highways are meant for smooth traffic flow and there should be no constraints restricting the free flow of traffic: it is aware that these speed bumps now constitute nuisance source, other than serve any useful purpose whatsoever”.

Seconding the motion, Senator Joshua Lidani said “I think there is the need for these speed bumps to be removed. If they have to be installed, let it be done professionally”.

However, some Senators comprising Baran Jibrin, Godswill Akpabio and Ike Ekweremadu warned that the removal of the bumps could lead to deaths, as there were schools, communities and worship centres by the highways.

Speed Bumps are different from Speed Humps, the major difference being in the smoothness of crossing and the length of the flat surface at the top.  Speed Humps are milder speed regulator with less damaging effect on the vehicle and far less discomfort to drivers and passengers. Humps are generally favour by road traffic experts while bumps have been known to be associated with problems including slowing down of emergency services, diverting traffic to parallel and more residential areas, among others.

A Speed Bump
A Speed Hump
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