Why cameras can't replace width restriction yet in Woodmere Avenue

Councillor Phil Bibby visited Woodmere Avenue in Watford after videos of drivers smashing into posts went viral.

While the crashes have divided opinion - some say drivers are to blame while others have criticised the design of the width restriction - Cllr Bibby acknowledged in a live interview that the scheme isn't working as it should.

And he confirmed in the interview with BBC Radio 3 Counties that Hertfordshire County Council is in discussions with Watford MP Dean Russell and the Government about installing cameras which could replace the restriction - but there's a hurdle in the way.

Stills caught on camera of drivers hitting the Woodmere Avenue width restriction

Under part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004, local authorities outside of London do not have the power to to issue penalty charge notices to moving vehicles that fail to comply with a road sign.

The width restriction in Woodmere Avenue exists to stop large vehicles such as lorries cutting through to Bushey Mill Lane industrial estate. By being physically in place, the width restriction does it job because lorries can't get through - although some use the bus lane through the middle, which under part 6 of the 2004 Act means it also cannot be enforced with cameras.

Some drivers bypass the width restriction by passing illegally through the bus lane

Replacing the width restriction with automatic number plate recognition cameras is what some residents in Woodmere Avenue are calling for, but until the law allows for action to be taken by local authorities outside of London against illegal manoeuvres, this call is unlikely to be answered.

But as Cllr Bibby alluded to in his interview, discussions are ongoing to change that law. In Parliament earlier this year, Mr Russell said it was not "fair" that London had those powers but not the rest of the country.

Watford MP Dean Russell speaking in the spring in Parliament about Woodmere Avenue and its width restriction

But even though the width restriction is doing its job on the whole by stopping lorries from using Woodmere Avenue, its design is causing numerous problems, with drivers of vehicles that aren't prohibited said to be hitting the posts everyday.

While many drivers pass through the restriction just fine, and some accuse drivers who hit the posts of going too quickly, there are accusations that the design is wrong.

For example, Tim and Tracy Vigor, who live next to the restriction, believe the first left post from the A41 is hit most commonly because drivers are on a dropped kerb without realising which is in line with that first post.

The placing of the first post on the left in line with the kerb has been blamed by some for collisions happening

Others believe the height of the posts are too small for drivers to see and there are more who are critical about the number of posts (six) which subsequently can caused greater damage to a vehicle.

It is these crashes - and the severity of some of them - that have caused the restriction to go viral and why it appears the council is now indicating changes could be on the horizon.

In the interview with the BBC, Cllr Bibby explained with the width restriction was initially 7ft and 6inches wide but this was narrowed to 7ft after residents "complained" larger vehicles were trying to "squeeze through".

He said it was a "difficult situation" because residents would complain again if the restriction was widened which he said would be "quite easy to do". So he said the council was looking for a "long-term solution" - mentioning potential cameras - after admitting the scheme "isn't doing what it is meant to be doing" and agreed with the presenter's statement that the bollards are "too small".

When asked what his advice would be to drivers using Woodmere Avenue in the meantime, Cllr Bibby said: "Make sure your can get through...I was there and I saw decent-sized family cars and 4x4's getting through quite safely so it is possible but if you're not quite confident, then avoid that entrance."

Woodmere Avenue width restriction (Image: Newsquest)

A council spokesperson told the Observer in September that the width restriction did not meet the criteria for inclusion in its safety engineering programme, adding "drivers do have to take responsibility for knowing the width of their vehicle and navigating the restriction at a safe speed".

The county council and Cllr Bibby have yet to respond to questions by the Observer about the placing of first left post. The council said it was not doing any more interviews about Woodmere Avenue after coverage of the width restriction went global.

More on Woodmere Avenue

Watford width restriction goes viral - and becomes daily source for memes

Only FOUR crashes recorded at Woodmere Avenue, council says

'Immediate' safety review required says expert after video shows multiple crashes