A speed bump in Crosby has had to be lowered after it damaged several vehicles because it was too high.

The calming measure installed by a sub-contractor for the Department of Infrastructure at Eyreton Road was said to be 75 millimetres too high, meaning that cars going over it were making contact with the road.

The road had recently been closed for resurfacing.

Motorist Dave Thornley said: ‘My Honda Civic grounded out and ended up beached. While I was stopped near the bump inspecting my car for damage, a number of other cars were damaged while trying to drive over it.’

We also contacted Peter Jones who posted a warning on more than 12 Facebook pages, and has collected a list of over 70 adverse comments, complaining about the bump.

Most of these were about cars scraping on the surface, but one involved a cyclist who was injured when he was thrown off his bike.

Mr Jones said: ‘I used the road coming from the Douglas direction and it is greatly improved. However, coming down the final steep slope, just before the junction with the main road at Crosby I found that someone had seen fit to install a couple of ramps. Each has a small sign saying “Ramp”.

‘What it should have read is ’Danger steep ramp ahead. Reduce speed to 5mph.’

‘I wonder how many unfortunates have done what I have done – come down the hill as normal, doing a moderate speed, seen the “ramp” sign up ahead and assumed it was the usual kind of ramp we find as part of roadworks, and realised, all too late that it is dangerously high. Even braking hard did not prevent a tremendous bang as part of the car struck the road surface.’

Mr Jones said that he had now driven over the reinstated speed bump and found it improved but still a bit steep.

He added: I do think it needs some serious signage, with an advice as to speed well before the driver reaches it. Personally, I would not drive over it at anything faster than 5mph. If that is the DoI’s intention, then, fine. But they should make it plain and give the road users the opportunity to slow down to a crawl.

‘Just before reaching the junction with the Peel to Douglas road, Eyreton Road becomes very narrow and it has evidently been decided that priority should be given to traffic turning in from the main road. This is sensible. Why not, therefore, use the “priority to oncoming traffic” or “Give way to oncoming traffic” arrangement which we find in some places on the island?’

A DoI spokesman said: ‘Work to rectify the incorrectly installed speed bump at Eyreton Road has been completed.

‘The contractor on this scheme has accepted responsibility for installing the ramp 75mm too high. The contractor has agreed to resolve the matter at no cost to the DoI.

‘We are reviewing quality control processes in light of this.’