WORK to make Covingham a hump-free zone is set to start next month.

After years of consultation, Kingfisher Drive and St Paul's Drive will become smooth once again as the humps give way to other traffic calming measures by June.

Chicanes and road narrowing will be introduced to keep speed down.

And a gateway, consisting of low walls on the roadside, will mark the entrance and exit of Kingfisher Drive to slow traffic.

A zebra crossing will be put in place at Dorcan Technology College to ensure pupils' safety.

Ward councillors Philip Young, Glen Smith and Dale Heenan have been working on the scheme on behalf of residents and helped put together the ideas for the new measures.

"Residents have been asking to get the humps removed for some time," said Coun Smith (Con, Covingham & Nythe).

"The removal will greatly benefit residents who suffer from arthritis and back pain as they drive over the humps.

"The new design has been led by residents' comments.

"I think the new measures will make the area more visually pleasing, but it will also be clear that cars must still drive slowly."

Children from Covingham Primary School took part in a competition to design images for the new gateways, which were judged by Swindon Mayor Michael Barnes.

Headteacher Jon Swaffield said: "Anything which raises children's awareness of road safety issues and, as in this case, involves them, is very important.

"The competition has enabled discussion across the whole school community about road safety."

Coun Smith welcomed the children's input in decorating the signs.

He said: "This is a great opportunity to reinforce the importance of road safety to the pupils.

"I hope also that once the scheme has been changed in line with the design that residents have previously approved, having these pictures by local children on the signs will remind people driving through Covingham that they should slow down."

The controversial humps were installed against many residents' wishes in 2002.

Humps in Covingham Drive were flattened in 2004.

The new traffic plans will be displayed in Covingham Library next week.