Traffic light out for 6 months and counting on Northumberland Avenue

Traffic lights that have been out of order for about six months have residents frustrated and angry, especially after witnessing car accidents at the intersection in Northgate.

Resident Peter Pitout said he and his neighbours have reported the traffic lights on the corner of Northgate Street and Northumberland Avenue to the authorities since the beginning of May.

The maintenance of the road and its traffic lights is the responsibility of the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, instead of the Joburg Roads Agency, as is the case for most roads. This is because, like Malibongwe Drive and Beyers Naudé Drive, Northumberland Avenue (which becomes Christiaan de Wet and Witkoppen roads south and north of the area, respectively) is a province-owned road.

“I have personally witnessed two accidents and heard about a third. The one traffic light was even hit and has been left on the side of the road for ages,” said an exasperated Pitout. “This situation is unacceptable and some form of action needs to be put into place, at the very least we must have the traffic lights attended to please.”

He said many motorists did not stop fully at the lights and just drove through. This made it dangerous for motorists, and much more so for pedestrians.

Ward 134 councillor Devon Steenkamp said he reported the traffic lights on September 26 as he had seen that the control box had been vandalised. Neither Steenkamp nor the residents have received responses from the department since reporting the issue.

This publication sent questions to the spokespeople at the department on September 29, then again on October 6 about whether they were aware of the traffic lights not working, why nothing had been done for so long, what could be done and when residents could expect this.

They confirmed receiving the query but had not provided a comment by the time of going to print.

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