Accident hotspots on Bedmond Road and hazardous routes between Nash Mills and Kings Langley are to benefit from traffic calming measures, thanks to the work of two action groups.

Church Hill Residents Against Speeding Harassment (CHRASH) and the C76 Residents Working Party have secured funding to the tune of more than a quarter of a million pounds.

Hemel Hempstead mum Helen Lehrle feared for her children's safety on their walk to school in Kings Langley and formed the C76 Residents Working Party last year.

The group, that covers Belswains Lane, Lower Road, Railway Terrace, Primrose Hill and Station Road, has since persuaded Herts County Council into making the area safer.

The cash, a total of £253,000, has been sourced from 'Section 106' money, supplied by local developers.

Helen said: "The group has worked really hard and it's paid off. So much of the community came together. We're just ecstatic at the amount of money."

Top of the safety wishlist is a pedestrian route through the railway bridge near the junction of Railway Terrace and Hyde Lane.

The inside of the bridge will be painted white before the end of the year to help drivers spot people walking through it.

Cash has also been earmarked to install traffic lights, address speed compliance, drainage and footway parking, following a public consultation.

Campaigners tackling issues on the Bedmond Road, which runs through Leverstock Green, Pimlico and Abbots Langley, are also celebrating a cash boost of £27,000.

The five figure sum will help traffic calming and speed reduction on the road, that has had more than 400 recorded traffic incidents in the last two years.

More information on CRASH can be found at http://web.mac.com/smithsculptor/iWeb/CHRASH

For more information about the C76 group email c76residentsworkinggroup@yahoo.co.uk

Spaces for the C76 group's next meeting (on August 7) are limited, please contact them if you would like to attend.