FLOOD-hit Bewdley residents have called for the immediate removal of speed humps along one of the town’s roads to try and prevent flooding.

During a public meeting on Monday, members of the Riddings Brook Flood Group made a request to Conservative Worcestershire county councillor, Gordon Yarranton, to press for the humps, in Queensway, to be removed.

People attending the meeting were shown photos and video clips of how the speed humps blocked the water coming down the road, causing it to flow down front drives, during torrential downpours.

A request was also made for improved emergency planning support for residents at flood risk.

Gill Holland, chairman of Bewdley Residents’ Flood Committee, said: “There are plenty of willing volunteers in this community ready to help themselves and their neighbours.

“The torrential rainfall on June 19 and July 20, 2007 and September 6 this year would have caused much worse flooding on each occasion if it hadn’t been for the prompt action of local volunteers.

“The time between the rain falling and Riddings Brook responding is very short, so the resources and the personnel have to be ready on site. There’s no time to bring in help from outside.”

She added: “We have the reassurance that, eventually, the Environment Agency will deliver an engineered solution for the culvert flooding.

“In the meantime, we would just like to sit down with somebody from Wyre Forest District Council Emergency Planning to find out what resources we can call upon and to put a detailed response plan in place.

“At this stage, even establishing clear lines of communication would be a help.”