About four to five years ago it became quite obvious that there were suddenly many really big trucks using Bridle and Kloof Falls road.
This was in all likelihood a route for deliveries to the then new Watercrest Mall and also the expanding industrial areas along Fisher and Brackenhill roads.
We had already seen the potential dangers therein with these heavies breaking down on the steep inclines, radically cutting the very tight corners and just generally causing inconvenience and mayhem.
I noted then that there were two mass restriction signs of 7t, one on either end of this thoroughfare, but these were in ridiculous placings in that any vehicle in contravention of this mass would never be able to execute an about turn if and when the driver saw them.
It became apparent to me that most of these drivers are unfamiliar with the area and are following their Satnavs thus being led onto Kloof falls road from Kloof side, only to find a mass restriction sign some two kilometres down the road, then in desperation, with absolutely no opportunity nor space to turn around, press on.
I have personally seen on more than one occasion that the driver is clearly distressed in this situation. It is clearly not their fault.
I started to try highlight to the authorities that we had a potentially hazardous situation in our very neighbourhood, by writing emails to the ward councillors of ward 10 plus ward 8.
I received brief responses from the ward 10 councillor confirming that my email was forwarded to the deputy heads of both ETA and Metro.
This was September 2015, almost three years ago.
Weeks dragged into months and there was no positive indication of any progress, but I picked up many other contacts along the way, Metro, eThekwini Municipalty and KZN Transport.
I even had recipients in the mayor’s office.
Not once along the way did I ever receive any response from the councillor of ward 8, not a single word, and eventually the mails to the mayor’s office recipients started bouncing. About a year ago the two 7t signs were replaced with 9t signs in the exact same senseless locations, effectively aggravating the situation.
The municipality claimed the situation had been addressed.
The saga continued and eventually, after dozens of emails and many months, we managed to drive the point home that the signage required needs to be at the off-ramps of the M13, thus diverting the trucks away from the lesser roads.
This fact was acknowledged, by both KZN Transport plus eThekwini Municipality, and eventually we were actually told that the necessary signage would erected at the appropriate off ramps on the M13.
More time dragged by and despite our constant requesting of updates on the matter nothing has been done.
To make matters worse we were even told by a fairly senior person in the municipality that it had in fact been done.After three years of relentless emails continually pointing out the dangers of this situation, continually sending the authorities images of the incidents occurring, we have achieved nothing.
One cannot help but ask, who will be accountable if the inevitable happens.
Simon Brehany
Upper Highway
