Speedy problem on school road
GLEN AUSTIN - Midrand resident Melissa Ward said there was an urgent need for speed bumps on the road outside a school in Glen Austin.
“Paddington Educare Centre, at the corner of Cilliers and Olifantsfontein Road is in need of traffic calming,” she said. “On a daily basis cars, trucks and taxis speed through the stop sign ignoring the allocated 60km/h. I almost collided with a vehicle that sped through the stop sign next to the school. Johannesburg Metro police regularly have speed traps on that road but they do not monitor offenders at the stop sign.”
The school’s principal Candice Gilford echoed Ward’s concerns. “We have had many accidents on this corner, some of them fatal,” she said. “Last week I observed and photographed a motorist in a white Bantam bakkie who was screaming at a bus driver that was speeding and nearly drove into the bakkie. A few weeks ago our school bus was nearly involved in an accident at the intersection with a car that did not slow down.”
Gilford said they advised parents regularly of the danger the intersection posed and had spoken to the Johannesburg Roads Agency about the problem.
“Two years ago the roads agency finally responded to one of our complaints and put stop signs and speed limit signs on Cilliers Road and Olifantsfontein Road. “Unfortunately for us, the agency said due to the fact that Olifantsfontein is a national road, further traffic calming measures or speed bumps can not be constructed.”
Roads Agency spokesperson Ntsikelelo Ngubeni said, “The roads agency has no records of requests for traffic calming or speed bumps for the Cilliers Road or Paddington’s Educare Centre. The school can send a request directly to our offices, through Joburg Connect or through the hotline number.
“The relevant area engineer will investigate and discuss the matter with Metro police, the complainant and any other relevant stakeholders.”
Ngubeni said if it was required, traffic surveys would be undertaken at the intersection and traffic calming measures could be taken into account in the next financial year.
Metro police spokesperson Edna Mamonyane said because there were six cameras along Olifantsfontein Road, the director of public prosecutions did not allow Metro police officers to monitor the road.
Details: Joburg Connect, 011-375-5555
