I would like to comment on your story on the front page of the City Times on August 18, headlined ‘Fatal accident raises road safety concerns’.
READ:
We must be accountable for road carnage
Birch Road begins near the NWK and continues as far as Forest Road.
Thereafter, it becomes Elm Road and then Third Road in Pomoma.
The entire ‘solid white line’ section as far as Forest Road is a nightmare – especially from around 6.30am to 8.00am and during the afternoon rush hours.
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Drivers speed along the stretch, overtake along the solid white line and regularly overtake on the dirt section on the extreme left.
Furthermore, the robot on the corner of Elm and Third Road, and Elm and Glen Gory Road is not a robot to taxis and trucks.
Unfortunately, since the inception of toll roads the route is used as a bypass for people commuting between Springs, Kempton Park and O R Tambo International Airport.
Consequently, cars often forced to back up in peak hours. They often stretch from the above-mentioned robots all the way to the infamous Forest Road – a distance of around 1.5km.
However, I don’t believe speed humps (traffic calming measures) are likely to make the route safer.
Impatient drivers will most likely rather head for the dirt which would result in many rear-end collisions arising from the need to brake suddenly.
So what is the solution?
While I commend police for often sitting on the side of the road ‘catching’ drivers who cross the solid white line, this does not occur often enough – and never during peak hours.
Secondly, what about robots with cameras to catch ‘red light jumpers’?
Fines will probably pay for the installation after two years of completion.
Thirdly, I have lived in this suburb for over 15 years and have yet to see a speed trap anywhere along the road in question.
Why not – especially in a semi built-up area like this?
Comments on the above are welcome.
Editor’s note:
The letter has been sent to the EMPD.
Also read:
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