ANGRY taxi drivers and residents have branded a new £16,000 traffic calming scheme a waste of time and money after it was unveiled two weeks behind schedule.

Cabbies are again threatening militant action after work to add three speed humps in Chesham town centre came to an end this week.

Alan Kidd, chairman of the Chiltern District Taxi Association, said: "It is a waste of time and a waste of money, it could have been better spent on The Vale for the people who were flooded."

Mr Kidd, who runs Chesham-based taxi firm Courtesy Cars, says taxi drivers are furious because their taxi rank in the Broadway was moved to the Star Yard car park for more than a month during construction work.

The drivers are also worried because the Highway Code prohibits taxis from parking on speed humps which could mean unnecessary driving around to find a place to stop.

He added: "We have all lost money severely but no one gives a monkey's.

"We are not going to stand for it any more. We will be militant they better be ready for us because we will be ready for them."

The work was carried out by Buckinghamshire County Council and Chesham Town Consortium, and was designed to make the environment of the town "increasingly pleasant".

But resident Ken Hulme, of The Spinney, Chesham, joined the attack and said the addition of the humps was pointless.

Mr Hulme, Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for Chesham and Amersham, said: "Speed bumps? Speed pimples. I haven't seen anyone who says these things were a good idea.

"They are small and don't do anything, but there is no need for them there anyway."

Mike Kennedy, clerk to Chesham Town Consortium, said the speed humps had been installed under the national specifications of the Department of Transport.

He added: "In my view it will slow down traffic and make life safer."