HIGHWAYS officials told a Wisbech man, concerned that traffic calming measures may not be working, that no council can stop drink drivers wreaking havoc with people s lives or property. Albert Blackwell called this week for changes to the traffic calming

HIGHWAYS officials told a Wisbech man, concerned that traffic calming measures may not be working, that no council can stop drink drivers wreaking havoc with people's lives or property.

Albert Blackwell called this week for changes to the traffic calming measures in Norwich Road, Wisbech, after his garden wall was demolished twice in the past six months.

But a Cambridgeshire County Council spokesman said: "In the three years after the traffic calming scheme was installed, the accident rate has almost halved in Norwich Road.

"According to the Wisbech Standard's own report, the latest accident involved a driver who was more than double the drink drive limit.

"Unfortunately there are no traffic calming measures that can stop motorists ignoring drink drive laws and harming themselves, other people or, as in this case, other people's property."

The spokesman added: "We understand Mr Blackwell's concerns and we are working to replace a lighted bollard that had been damaged and forms part of the traffic calming which should help encourage drivers to slow down."

Mr Blackwell, who lives in Council Road near the Norwich Road junction, and in the latest incident, drink driver Paul Harrison (see Standard last week) ploughed into his walls, one six feet high and the other three feet high, depositing two and a half tonnes of bricks on to his garden, demolishing wheelie bins, a brick-built flower bed, various ornamental planters and damaging house windows.

"These traffic calming measures encourage boy racers to take risks in Norwich Road," said Mr Blackwell. "The calming is working but it is inefficient.

"We have got to get something done about this before someone gets killed.