RESIDENTS in Hampton Hill are fuming over a traffic decision made by Richmond upon Thames Council and Twickenham's MP has criticised their method of public consultation.

Concerns have escalated over a 'rat-run' created in Burtons Road, by motorists wishing to avoid the Hampton Hill traffic lights. A traffic calming scheme was eventually proposed but Richmond upon Thames Council have decided not to implement it.

Dr Vincent Cable has received a petition signed by over 70 angry residents. He said: "They felt sufficiently incensed about the council's behaviour, that they have sought my support as well as local councillors.

"What seems to have happened is a deliberate decision by the council to tip the balance away from residents concerned and affected by streams of fast moving traffic in residential areas. Safety and amenity are being systematically devalued. Yet the evidence from across the country shows that properly designed traffic calming schemes save lives and improve the environment."

Dr Cable believes the council are consulting many residents who are not living within close proximity of the 'rat-run' in question and therefore find a more positive response than appropriate.

He added: "I have asked for a proper explanation of how widely consultation is now being carried out and will ask the Minister of Transport whether he will establish clear guidelines to govern the consultation process in cases of this kind."

Cllr Mark Kreling, cabinet member for traffic, transport and parking, said: "The Lib Dems used to look at traffic problems in isolation and doing something in one road had a detrimental effect to other roads.

"The whole ethos of traffic management has changed a lot in London and we are now encouraged to find solutions for a whole area."

Cllr Kreling believes the problems reported in Burtons Road have arisen from a cycle lane which the Lib Dems implemented: "This reduced capacity at the junction and encouraged people to find 'rat-run' roads.

"Unfortunately you can't suddenly take away a rat-run that people have got used to having, you have to find a gradual solution to the problem. The situation is being monitored in the whole of the Hampton area. We don't want to deal with Burtons Road in isolation but we are continuing to pursue solutions."

Regarding criticism of council's consultation process, a spokesman said: "It has been our policy to consult a wide area on schemes such as traffic calming or road closures because of the effect these measures have on the community as a whole, not just the immediate frontagers."