SPEEDING COSTS MONEY

Speeding costs Cape Town residents money and drivers must modify their bad driving, is the urgent plea of the Subcouncil 7 (Koeberg). This follows after over 270 applications have been approved for installing speed humps.

Gerhard Fourie, chairperson of Subcouncil 7 (Koeberg), said that at the last monthly meeting the subcouncil does not have enough money to install these traffic-calming measures, even though they were approved for implementation and are on the waiting list.

This came after more speed humps were approved at the last monthly meeting of the subcouncil. Several new requests were also received, among which a request for a speed hump in Patterson Road in Aurora in Durbanville, where a woman was hit be a car while walking her dag late on Sunday 24 August.

At the meeting Theresa Uys, councillor for ward 21, said she shares the public’s concern about drivers exceeding the speed limit.

“We urge residents to be compliant and do everything to ensure they comply with the speed limit,” she said.

The cost of traffic calming

Fourie said Subcouncil 7 is inundated by traffic calming requests from residents.

“In our subcouncil area alone, we have over 270 applications awaiting implementation.

“Financially this is not achievable as speed humps are primarily funded from ward allocation budgets of councillors, who only receive R700000 per annum to address all ward needs as determined during the budget process,” he said.

Subcouncil 7 (Koeberg) cover the areas of Kraaifontein (north of N1), Vredekloof, De Bron, Sonstraal, Sonstraal Heights, Uitzicht, Windsor Park, Windsor Estate, Langeberg Ridge/Heights, Joostenbergvlakte, Fisantekraal, Bloekombos, Philladelphia, Klipheuwel, Richwood, Burgundy Estate and Durbanville.

The estimated cost of just one speed hump is about R25000. The implementation costs of other traffic calming measures are: stop- streets R5000; raised pedestrian crossings R35000; raised intersections R100000; large traffic circles R3million; mini traffic circle R100000 and traffic lights R500000.

“The subcouncil would give preference to areas where the safety of the general public could be jeopardised such as play parks, crèches, schools and old age homes. Even so, only a limited amount of speed humps can be installed during any financial year,”says Fourie. “It is also not always a solution to the problem and not welcomed by all residents due to the noise factor and perceived damage that this could cause to vehicles.

“The fact remains that speed calming is required, because our residents exceed the speed limits and drive irresponsibly. The safety of senior citizens, children and pets is compromised on a daily basis,” he added.

“I appeal to residents to change their driver behaviour. The City cannot continue to spend millions of rands to fund the outcome of irresponsible driving, while we have so many other service delivery needs.
“This is ‘good’ money being spent on irresponsible driving behaviour, mostly by local drivers! We do not have the capacity to police traffic violations. In most cases it is not merely exceeding speed limits, but rather ignoring the conditions relevant to the local suburban roads that is of concern. This cannot be policed as no law is transgressed.”

Fourie said the City’s Traffic Calming Policy is currently under review and he hopes it will result in a more practical outcome for speed calming. “Nevertheless, we need to drive responsibly!”