RESIDENTS have won their battle to get a controversial traffic measure scrapped - but lost their bid to rid their neighbourhood of speed humps.

People living in the Lye Valley estate, Headington, called on Oxford City Council to rip out the tarmac speed humps on roads in the area, as well as a chicane in Dene Road.

They said the measures, which cost £115,000, most of which was funded by the developers of Homebase in Horspath Driftway, were unnecessary and the chicane, which turned a 90-degree bend into a single-track carriageway, was dangerous.

Yesterday the city council's Traffic and Highway Committee agreed to tell officers to remove the chicane, which had been installed to slow traffic, admitting it had been a failure. Members agreed that some of the humps were too high, but want them lowered rather than removed. They called for officers to consult local people on the issue.

Residents in the area were split over the humps - with opponents sending a 500-name petition to the council saying they were not needed and were a waste of money.

After the meeting one protester, Harry Landon, of Inott Furze, said: "I've never ever seen anything as mad in my life as the build-out on the corner of the road. We're glad it's being taken away."

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