A Didcot councillor has demanded that Oxfordshire County Council takes greater control over its responsibility for highways after he sought the removal of four speed bumps which appeared unexpectedly on the A4130 last week.

Last Thursday (October 9) Didcot West ward county and district councillor Ian Snowdon took to his social media channels to inform local residents that he had been contacted by concerned motorists that had used the road that day.

They informed him that they had encountered new speed bumps which had been installed without warning and were resultantly causing delays.

They also expressed concern about potential damage that they perceived the speed bumps might inflict to their vehicles.

Confirming that these had been put in place by the county council’s highways contractor to reduce the impact of a trench that was needed across the carriageway and to ensure highways workers’ safety, Mr Snowdon subsequently expressed frustration that the speed bumps had not been removed by Monday (October 23) when the county council had informed him they would be and were continuing to exacerbate traffic conditions on the road.

Mr Snowdon said: “County council officers have been on site and demanded these ramps are removed after contractors ignored the request to remove them before Monday.

"To clarify the contractor had no permission to implement these ramps in the first place” adding that the contractors were only permitted to install trench guards.”

When contacted for comment by the Herald, the county council only confirmed on Monday (October 23) that they had instructed contractors to remove the speed bumps.

Later that day, Mr Snowdon visited the site to speak with the construction manager and ask why the speed bumps had not been removed.

They were then removed the following day (Tuesday, October 24).

Mr Snowdon said: “These works were planned a long time ago. The road speed was reduced back in December last year, so why are we having unsuitable and excessive ramps being used without the permission of the highways authorities?

"While I was at the site a police van with blue lights came along and vehicles rushed to get through to help and obviously risked damaging their own cars.

He added: “We apparently have a highways authority with no authority. I have made it clear to the site manager that I will be asking for the reasons this was allowed to happen and raising it with the cabinet member for highways that this has been completely unacceptable and should not be repeated.”