Sunningdale toasts to new speed humps

THERE was air of jubilance in Sunningdale last week as residents woke up to the news that five roads in the area would be getting speed humps. For more than 10 years, the local community has voiced their concern over the constant speeding and flouting of the 40km/h speed limit on the roads in the area.

Now Village Way, Round the Green, Fernlea Road, and Spurwing are all set for speed humps. The municipality has already begun the process with Village Way marking the start of the project.

They have dug holes along the busy road to put up signage for the speed humps. The first phase of the project is expected to last three weeks

uMhlanga ward councillor, Heinz de Boer, said he was particularly pleased after a series of frustrating meetings with the eThekwini Traffic Authority (ETA).

“There have been too many accidents on these roads as a result of speeding. And it’s frustrating because the ETA had insisted the road didn’t have enough fatalities to warrant speed humps, which is in line with its traffic calming policy,” he explained.

De Boer was also given funds for his blocksum allocation which has enabled him to go ahead with the project.

“Each councillor is supposed to receive a blocksum amount of R1-million annually to attend to various projects in the area. I have not received any funding since 2009 and the municipality has decided to allocate R3-million to me, most of which is going to speed hump construction in areas which need it the most. And we wanted to send out a strong message, this is a neighbourhood, not a race track,” he said.

He added Chartwell Drive would also get its long awaited traffic calming measures next year as well as Newlands Drive in uMhlanga and Ambleside Road in La Lucia.

Over the moon

Andre Hattingh chairperson of the Sunningdale Homeowners Association said he was ‘over the moon’ with the news.

“I have been chairman for five years and the call for speed humps in Sunningdale has gone on long before I took up my position. We’ve been given various reasons why the roads don’t qualify and I’m just over the moon.

“Most of the residents have complained about the constant speeding in the area, especially going down Village Way. We’ve had a number of serious accidents in the past and it was as a result of speeding,” Hattingh concluded

Fantastic news for Sunningdale community

Village Way resident Tyron Powell said the move was a definite plus for the area.

“I’ve lost a cat because of someone speeding on the road. A few months ago we clocked a guy flying up Village Way at about 120km/h which is ridiculous. It’s great news and it will mean a safer neighbourhood for resident’s who walk their dogs and the children that use the parks daily,” he said.