Motorists and residents enduring a “living hell” at a Watford width restriction were given a glimmer of hope this week as councillors staged a political u-turn.

Several members of the Watford Highways Joint Member Panel bowed to pressure piled on by angry residents and conceded that something should be done at the accident black spot in Woodmere Avenue.

The panel last month decided they would look again at the number of complaints about the controversial road feature in the New Year but dissenting councillors say something should be done sooner.

Police have been called to accidents at the site on at least 16 occasions – including six times in the past six weeks - while more than 69 complaints have been lodged with Hertfordshire County Council.

Despite the frequency of vehicles bashing the steel posts, politicians from all parties, including Watford Mayor Dorothy Thornhill and MP Richard Harrington, claimed there was no problem with the design.

But in a move that offers hope to desperate neighbours who say they are “fed up” with the carnage, several panel members have decided to back their campaign.

Outspoken councillors on the highways panel include Liberal Democrats Derek Scudder and Andy Wylie and Labour representative Nigel Bell.

Labour councillor Asif Khan who previously sat on the panel as a substitute also openly criticised the restriction.

He said: “It is scary driving through it. The council is trying to brush this issue under the carpet. They say the number of complaints has declined but I think people are fed up with complaining about it. There has certainly been a shift in opinion in recent weeks as people realise that this is not going away.

“The council has not been responsive to the residents’ complaints and the officers need to look at it in a human fashion, not a bureaucratic one.”

Neighbours and drivers are now being encouraged to complain to the county council in the coming weeks by councillors who worry that nothing will be done if the number of grievances decline.

Councillor Bell said: “We should review it. The amount of money spent on recovering vehicles and the cost of sending out the emergency services has got to outweigh any good that this restriction is doing.”

Councillor Scudder added: “The fact that so many people are hitting it means there is some inherent problem there. It is no good saying it conforms, there are dozens across the county that conform, but people don’t get wedged in them. It gives me no pleasure to look at the Watford Observer every week and see another car has got stuck – something must be done.”