HATTON Estates residents are calling on eThekwini Municipality to replace the yield and stop signs at the intersection of Butts and Underwood Road in Pinetown.
According to Pam Olejniczak, one of the residents who lives diagonally across from that intersection, the intersection has been a problem for both motorists and pedestrians for many years. She said the road is notorious for speeding motorists who cause accidents. Residents have been trying to get the municipality to place a four-way stop at the intersection for many years but to no avail.
“One morning we woke up and there was a stop sign on a pole erected on both sides of the road and yield signs painted across the road. The four way stop was working well and provided a good calming measure but it mysteriously disappeared a few days later. The stop sign was taken down and the yield signs painted over,” said Olejniczak.
She added that during peak hours, it is a nightmare to get across from Butts Road to Underwood Road.
Rob Leask, chairman of the Hatton Estates Neighbourhood Watch, said his committee was disappointed when the four-way stop was removed because it worked like a charm.
“We are trying to get the Municipality to put it back but they keep saying that there hasn’t been many accidents at the intersection which called for them to place the sign back there,” said Leask.
He added that there has been one fatality at the intersection two years ago, in which a woman was injured in a car crash and a few days later she succumbed to her injuries. He also added that there had been at least one accident every few months.
“Vehicles travelling from Caversham Road speed through which is quite a deceiving intersection for motorists to judge the speed. We’ve also placed tyres on the verge at the intersection to prevent heavy duty vehicles from parking on the verge which obstructs the view of the road for motorists,” said Leask.
eThekwini Municipality’s head of communications, Tozi Mthethwa was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press, but according to reports the municipality claimed that unknown persons had painted and erected the Stop signs, and not the municipality.
