Cowling's new traffic calming measures were this week criticised as being substandard.

South Craven county councillor Tim Cole rapped the new humps as appearing to be a botched job by North Yorkshire county council. He believes they are too harsh.

The humps have been installed on the main road on the approaches to Cowling.

Cllr Cole says: "I don't find the white markings as being too narrow, as some people claim, but I do think the rumble strips are too severe and I'm very concerned about the standard of them. At the next highways meeting, I'm certainly going to ask the council what kind of standard it set for the strips. At the moment they remind me of the speed humps in Station Road, Cross Hills.

"The council doesn't seem to have got their specifications right in Cowling."

some residents liked the bumps, though.

Susan Benson told us: "The traffic situation is a lot better. The markings and speed humps have made it safer for the children."

Mrs Doreen Mills, 73, of Cowling, says: "The traffic was travelling at a terrible speed. The markings have made the traffic situation better."

But Cowling resident Cedric Widdup believes alternative measures should have been used instead. He says: "It's been a waste of money. The humps are not doing the cars any good."

County councillor Irene Greaves responds: "The rumble strips are the standard specifications as laid down in other villages. I can't really see what people are complaining about because they have had ample time to comment on the measures. The scheme will be monitored to make sure everybody is happy about it."

Bill Isherwood, the area traffic manager for North Yorkshire county council, has said that he will go to Cowling and inspect the measures to ensure that they have been put down properly.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.