WHAT hides in the road and overturns cars?

No, it isn’t a superhuman highwayman – it’s a pair of particularly tall traffic islands.

The islands, which sit in the middle of Woodhead Road, between Berry Brow and Honley, were installed around seven years ago to slow down motorists.

But the poorly lit islands, bounded by 40cm ‘Trief’ kerbs, have become a hazard for motorists.

Now the safety of the islands has been questioned by a local MP after concerns from motorists.

A driver fell foul of one of the islands in September, flipping the car.

The motorist, who is believed to have been using a mobile phone at the time, was not seriously hurt.

It is believed other accidents have been caused by the islands over the past few years.

Trief kerbs were first used in 1962 to protect roadside structures and prevent vehicles leaving the road.

The kerbs, which are usually about 40cm tall, are designed to deflect a vehicle away from a hazard.

But motorists say Trief kerbs are inappropriate for traffic calming and can create additional hazards.

Richard Smith, of Holmfirth, said: “They are not well lit. There’s not a lot of room to play with. A slight lapse of concentration and people will hit them.

“They are too extreme for traffic calming.”