Calls for traffic calming across Berea

THE eThekwini Municipality has agreed to install speed bumps in Esther Roberts Road after appeals by residents.

Responding to queries from Berea Mail following a complaint by a resident and the principal of Open Air School, Head of Communications, Tozi Mthethwa said the City had noted the concerns voiced by residents in the road and had scheduled speed humps to be installed in the next financial year.

Resident Colin Parker, said he had been pushing for speed bumps to be installed in the area of the Open Air School in Esther Roberts for almost 10 years. He said the school had many students who were physically disabled and had to cross the road in the morning and afternoon.

“There are too many cars and taxis speeding down the road at speeds in excess of 60km per hour. We took the matter up with the principal of the Open Air School and he said many attempts to get the eThekwini Municipality to assist had failed. All the other schools in our area have the speed bumps except in our road,” he said.

Principal of Open Air School, Noel Moodley, said he hoped the municipality would act, because of the nature of the school, and the number of accidents in the road over the years.

“The number of cars has increased substantially, creating the increased possibility of accidents. The former principal tried for years but nothing transpired, as we were told this was a thoroughfare and the municipality wouldn’t budge. The fact that this is a school for disabled pupils and we have no speed bumps is shocking!” he said.

Councillor Martin Meyer who has called for speed calming across all three Berea wards, said he would be meeting with officials to discuss the issue.

“It is clear that the city’s approach to traffic control and traffic calming is sadly lacking, especially when it comes to schools and old age homes. The elderly in our ward and our children are put in harms way daily due to ETA’s refusal to be more pragmatic in their approach instead of merely looking at numbers and statistics. Running a caring city as the current city government purports to do however demands that we look at more than just numbers, but look after our people. The recent death of a pupil on Florida Road has clearly shown this,” he said.

He said almost every school in ward 27 required speed bumps and other forms of traffic calming, but the community’s calls to ETA had not had any effect.

“To this purpose I am planning a meeting between ETA, Metro Police and the principals and chairs of the governing bodies of all the schools on the Berea to discuss this urgent matter. The purpose of this is to find a holistic and workable approach to safeguarding our children on the roads. I will also engage with the Provincial Department of Education on this,” he said.