A female passenger was taken to hospital after the latest in a number of serious crashes at a controversial width restriction in Watford.

The silver Vauxhall Corsa careered into the narrow traffic-calming bollards, in Woodmere Avenue, as it travelled from the direction of the A41, on Saturday morning, at 11.48am.

One neighbouring resident heard a loud bang before going out to the car, which was "at a right angle to the road, with smoke and steam billowing out of it".

The passenger, a woman believed to be in her fifties, was taken to Watford General Hospital with minor head injuries, while the male driver and another passenger escaped injury.

The crash is the latest in a series of incidents at the tight restriction, which has prompted more than 50 complaints to Hertfordshire County Council since it opened, on Friday, February 25.

Tracy Vigor, of Woodmere Avenue, said: "The council just doesn't seem to want to do anything about it. Any idiot can see it isn't right but they won't admit it."

On April 10, a man believed to be in his eighties crashed into the posts, and became trapped in his vehicle for more than two hours.

Days later, a Peugeot 206 was left badly damaged and had to be towed away after a collision with the high kerbs at the site.

The driver of a hire van also became stuck earlier this month, forcing police to open up the bus lane, which runs through the middle of the restriction, to allow traffic to pass.

Residents claim dozens of cars are scratched and damaged on a weekly basis by the steel posts, which sit exactly seven feet apart.

Barry Felton, who lives next to the restriction, has found various car parts, including drive shaft ball bearings, bits of door panels, pieces of headlights, wheel nuts, wing mirror cases and glass, by the side of the road.

He said: "It is getting crazy. There was a bang at my front door on Saturday and three quarters of the car wheel had flown off and hit my porch. It is utterly ridiculous - it just poses a danger to the public."

Despite the obvious problems, Hertfordshire Highways claims there is nothing wrong with the bollards, re-built at a cost of £18,000 to tax payers.

Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, who sits on the highways and transport panel at Hertfordshire County Council, said: "At the most recent Highways Joint Member Panel (which takes decisions on transport issues in the area) it was decided by all parties that the restriction would stay the same for the moment.

"If it continues to be a problem we will look at whether it needs any adjustments."