A COUPLE plans to make a formal complaint over a council's decision to install speed humps on their estate.

Durham County Council's highways committee voted for the traffic-calming measures at Brackenbeds Close, on the outskirts of Pelton, near Chester-le-Street, in answer to calls from some residents for action to curb speeding vehicles.

But Ashley and Debbie Holmes, who have lived on the estate for 12 years, say they will use the council's formal complaints system to raise their concerns about the decision.

They were among the objectors to the proposal because they fear that the classic cars they own will not be able to negotiate the standard type of hump.

A report to the committee, from acting environment director David Miller, said that the council had in the past accommodated classic cars in other schemes by modifying humps, adding "there is no reason why this should not happen in this case".

But Mrs Holmes said that in approving the scheme, the committee voted against a recommendation to modify humps to allow their cars to pass over them without risk of damage.

She said she and her husband had four MG cars, but would have to sell them or move from the estate if the scheme went ahead.

"I feel we have been unjustly treated. One of the council's technical guys said afterwards that the humps could be modified and still do the job.

"But the committee voted against the recommendation to modify the humps.

"If the scheme goes ahead, we will have to sell the cars or move off the estate after living here for 12 years.''

Mrs Holmes added that she was not against the scheme, but just wanted it modified.

A spokesman for the council said: "We won't be installing the humps until we have discussed the matter further with Mrs Holmes and offered to take her and her cars to a location where three-inch humps are in place to test them for clearance."

He added that the committee was presented with the alternatives for the type of hump to be used and decided on what it considered the most appropriate.