A police van has crashed into the width restriction in Woodmere Avenue in Watford.

It happened at around lunchtime today and completely burst the van's front left tyre.

It comes after three crashes in four days around a week ago including a Volvo which became hooked onto one of the posts and needed a digger to free it.

Since then, residents in Woodmere Avenue have told the Observer the posts are struck "every day" and Watford's MP has demanded "urgent changes" to the design of the restriction.

Watford Observer: A police van parked by the width restriction in Woodmere Avenue after striking itA police van parked by the width restriction in Woodmere Avenue after striking it

Related: Three vehicles hit width restriction in four days

The latest crash involving the police van was at exactly the same spot the three crashes occurred last week, as drivers enter Woodmere Avenue from the A41.

The battered Volvo has been parked in the street ever since the collision on August 28.

Watford Observer: The Volvo which needed recovering after crashing at the width restriction on August 28The Volvo which needed recovering after crashing at the width restriction on August 28

A police officer was captured on a resident's CCTV standing by the stranded van before she was joined by colleagues who placed their car behind the van.

Along with significant damage to the front wheel, a residents says the other side of the vehicle also sustained damage.

Watford Observer: Damage to the wheel of the police vanDamage to the wheel of the police van

Watford Observer: Police in Woodmere Avenue after the collisionPolice in Woodmere Avenue after the collision

The width restriction, which was introduced in 1980, has received criticism because of the set of three posts drivers must navigate.

It is believed to be there to prevent large vehicles cutting through to the industrial estates in Bushey Mill Lane.

But locals, along with MP Dean Russell, have questioned why Woodmere Avenue has three sets of posts while nearby Tudor Avenue only has one, even though the posts are the same distance apart (seven foot).

Watford Observer: Woodmere Avenue width restriction Woodmere Avenue width restriction

Mr Russell said previously: "The three most recent incidents reiterate that urgent changes are needed to the width restriction, and I remain in discussions with Hertfordshire County Council having raised in Parliament the need to ensure that residents have a say in what happens outside their front door.

"As I have said previously it isn’t right that drivers have to worry about damaging their vehicle because of a width restriction which was designed decades ago. It also is not fair on residents who are impacted by road closures due to vehicles getting stuck.

"Other local width restrictions such as the ones on Tudor Avenue and Bushey Mill Lane serve their purpose, without posing a serious risk to vehicles."

Watford Observer: Tudor Avenue width restrictionTudor Avenue width restriction

Related: 'Urgent change' needed at width restriction

Meriden & Tudor county councillor Steve Cavinder says he is hoping to meet with county council officers in Woodmere Avenue in the coming weeks to discuss the ongoing issues; however he has concerns about the overall scheme and the way it currently operates.

He said: "I understand the frustrations with the width restrictions. Personally I don't have a problem getting through them but I am conscious there are people on this estate with wider cars than mine.

"But for me, the scheme as a whole doesn't work. This is because the bus lane down the middle is used by other motorists and there is no deterrent to stop them doing that.

"It would be more appropriate to have the width restriction taken away and put in cameras and a weight restriction, and I have suggested this to officers."

Related: Council officers 'agree to visit' width restriction

Watford Observer: Woodmere Avenue width restriction with a bus lane running through the middleWoodmere Avenue width restriction with a bus lane running through the middle

The Observer is still waiting for a response from the county council to a series of questions posed about the Woodmere Avenue width restriction.