Webber residents living in Chapman and Whitford roads recently reported three car accidents, in one week, all allegedly due to reckless driving by motorists and lack of sufficient traffic calming measures.
According resident Nikki Coward, in the first accident a bakkie crashed into their boundary wall. In the second a motorist crashed into an electrical substation, leaving a number of houses without power for several days, while the third accident resulted in a violent confrontation between the two motorists involved.
“The metro must do something about putting speed bumps or some other traffic calming measures down Chapman and Whitford roads,” Coward said.
“The stop sign was knocked down.
“Our boundary wall was destroyed. It will cost our insurer quite a lot of money to have it rebuilt.
“People using these roads routinely ignore the four-way stop and drive at extremely high speeds down both roads. Someone could be killed,” she said. The GCN contacted the metro for comment.
“We are grateful to the public for alerting us of the reckless and negligent driving from motorists in the Klippoortje, Denlee and Webber suburbs,” said Themba Gadebe, spokesperson for the metro.
“There are three interlinking aspects dealing with the control of traffic on the road system.
“These aspects are engineering, education and enforcement.
“The engineering aspect is to design the road for the intended optimum operating speed, have the necessary traffic signs installed on roads where the National Guidelines on Traffic Calming allow.
“Traffic calming devices may be installed if it is warranted.
“The education is provided through media reports as envisaged in this query and other platforms.
“The enforcement is done by the EMPD and other police departments.
“The engineering aspects are taken care of, as there is a four-way priority stop control implemented at the intersection of Chapman and Whitford roads.”
Furthermore, the metro stated that Chapman and Whitford roads are, however, major roads in the road network, meant for mobility and in terms of the National Guidelines on Traffic Calming.
Traffic calming measures on such roads are not allowed.
Therefore, speed humps will not be provided by the metro.
“In terms of the National Road Traffic Act, the onus is also on the motorists to adjust the speed they are driving at, according to the prevailing circumstances and if the motorists do not, it results in reckless behaviour.
“That leaves the community with the last option, which is enforcement of the law to attempt to get the reckless behaviour of motorist under control,” said Gadebe.
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