TRAFFIC calming issues, particularly on Silverton Road in Musgrave and Peter Mokaba (Ridge) Road are being investigated by Ward 31 Councillor Chris Pappas.
After writing to the eThekwini Transport Authority to request speed bumps in Silverton Road in Musgrave recently, Pappas said the department had responded by pointing out that the road did not qualify for speed humps.
“I have asked the department to reconsider as Silverton Road feeds traffic past has two creches, a religious institution, is the entry point to a primary school, an alternate entry to a high school, includes a blind corner at the corner of Bellevue Road and has a steep decline from Peter Mokaba Road.”
“It is clear that the road is used by many vulnerable groups. Additionally, the development of the teacher’s training college will mean more pedestrian traffic and more vehicles on the road which is further motivation for traffic calming measures,” he said.
Pappas said he had observed how motorists speed up and down the road, especially when coming down from Peter Mokaba.
“There is an accident just waiting to happen. The municipality cannot wait until a child is injured or killed before we act. Prevention is the key to keeping our community safe. If the department is still unable to adequately justify why we cannot include speed humps on Silverton Road, I have suggested that we call a public meeting of all stakeholders where the department can explain to the community why speed humps cannot be installed. I will take the side of the community because I cannot reasonably explain why we cannot take measures to keep our community safe,” he said.
In September, after receiving many complaints, Pappas said he had spent two hours on two different occasions sitting and observing the traffic flow in Peter Mokaba (Ridge) Road at the intersection with St Thomas Road and Kennilworth Road.
He said he noticed vehicles were going over the ridges on either side and speeding up as they descended down the hill.
Pappas contacted the municipality, but again, was told that Peter Mokaba Road was an arterial road and the implementation of traffic calming on this road or section of road would impact negatively on its functionality.
Pappas said he queried whether there were alternate methods that could be implemented such as ripples, traffic circles, speed tables, speed cushions or humps.
“Some form of traffic calming measure in this area needs to be implemented,” he said.
