You are late for your appointment at the hairdresser, so you ignore the speed limit to try to get there as fast as possible and, if it wasn’t for the speed humps, you could push it a little more.
You notice a little boy running across the street to pick up his soccer ball as you slow down upon approach of the next speed hump; and you are grateful that it was there.
You realise that traffic calming measures play a significant role in ensuring the safety of all road-users, particularly vulnerable ones like young children.
Communities across Ekurhuleni also recognise the need and importance of these measures.
Some even go to the extent of damaging roads by unlawfully digging them up to create “speed trenches” that force motorists to slow down.
The metro has taken note of this trend and wants residents to know that there is no need to take such action – which in some instances is driven by the lack of knowledge on the correct processes to follow to have traffic calming measures installed.
Thabo Xaba, the father of a three-year-old girl from Katlehong, supports the digging of trenches and the creation of speed humps by residents on municipal tarred roads.
“Cars speed down the roads, with no regard or consideration that there are children who play in the streets,” he said.
“As a driver myself, I know that a hole in the road forces a driver to slow down.”
Another community member Lebohang Montle, who is one of the diggers creating trenches, said he is frustrated by the lack of speed humps on roads in his neighbourhood.
“There have been five accidents already and one of them resulted in the death of an old man who was hit by a speeding vehicle.
“The funny thing is that the police and the councillor know about this problem and we have signed more than five petitions.
“Everyone was involved, the school, the church and the community members all signed but still there are no speed humps,” said Montle.
Montle’s frustration is shared by many communities; however, the implementation of methods such as speed humps, raised pedestrian crossings and mini-circles is determined by a set of national guidelines.
Where a need has been identified, residents can apply by filling in a Traffic Calming Measures request form.
“The metro’s roads and stormwater department evaluates every request for traffic calming measures and implements them as per the national guidelines and policies for traffic calming,” explained manager: roads and storm water at the metro, Phillip Nice.
“Each request is evaluated and prioritised.
“When the request is warranted, the oversight committee approves the Preliminary Design Report and then the request is added to the waiting list for implementation.”
Residents are advised to ensure that the form clearly identifies the street name(s) or the affected area, the envisaged position of the traffic calming measure being applied for and a description of the nature of the problem(s).
The request form should have the signature of the ward councillor and all the supporting residents in the affected area.
Communities should take note that it may not be possible to place traffic calming measures, be it if a certain type or any at all, on all roads.
This is because of the classification of roads according to their purpose.
For instance, a Class Three road is a “higher order” road which in terms of the afore-mentioned guidelines does not warrant the installation of physical traffic calming measures.
This is because Class Three roads need to be functional as access and mobility routes.
Implementation of vigilante methods will also, therefore, contribute negatively towards the functionality of the roads.
The Traffic Calming Measures application form can be obtained from ward councillor’s offices.
