In late November last year I was driving along a two-way urban 30mph road at 6.30pm, in pouring rain and dense traffic I suddenly felt two nasty bumps on the rear side, stopped in nearby layby and found my front and rear tyres had punctured. They had clipped the outer point of a triangular type of "build-out" jutting out from the nearside pavement. The only signs in warning was a faint yellow line on the road adjoining the edge of the pavement and some hatchings on the far side of the build-out - no central or side beacon and no overhanging lamp post.

As a right-hand driver, in the driving rain, following the dense traffic, neither the yellow line nor sudden build-out were visible to me. Our pick-up driver said that he was familiar with collecting drivers such as myself on this road. I have since been in touch with the responsible local council (London Borough of Merton) and they maintain (after a site survey) that their traffic calming measures and signs meet all regulatory requirements. This survey however was done during the daytime I did ask if their risk assessment and decisions relating to traffic management took account of nighttime and all weather conditions, and am still awaiting a reply. I am only claiming a refund of £96 for repair of two tyres but the issue is now becoming a point of principle for me and I thought such a query to you might be of interest to your other readers.