Seven road safety organisations have campaigned against plans to scrap speed bumps.
The campaigners say that the increased risk from removing speed bumps is 'daft and irresponsible', despite Environment Secretary Michael Gove's claims that it would help reduce pollution.
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Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, told the Independent: "Removing speed humps, which are proven to be an effective way of reducing road casualties, would increase risk to all road users, but especially to pedestrians, pedal cyclists and children, and are one of the key reasons why death and injury on our roads have fallen so substantially over the last few decades."
Additionally, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) suggested to the BBC that the government had misinterpreted their guidance, which says that "where physical speed reduction measures are used to reduce road danger and injuries, consider using them to encourage drivers to maintain a reduced, steady pace along the whole stretch of road, rather than road humps that may increase acceleration and braking-related emissions."
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Opposition to speed bumps is nothing new - many drivers tend to drive at their preferred speed regardless, simply slowing down when they reach a speed bump and speeding up once they have passed it. This not only increases emissions but also proves that bumps may not be the most effective method for controlling speed.
However, experts say that by having speed bumps near schools and in residential areas, many incidents and fatalities may have been avoided.
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It has been suggested in some quarters that the policy may have been prompted by the government's desire to appease motorists left disgruntled by the recent announcement of the £3 billion ($3.9bn) plans to ban petrol and diesel cars by the year 2040.
A government spokeswoman boldly claimed that road safety would not be compromised by any changes, adding: "Reducing roadside pollution is a priority for this government - which is why we have committed £3bn to help towns and cities take action against harmful emissions caused by dirty diesels."
Sources: BBC, Independent
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Words: Chloë Charalambous