Speeding sparks fears on Gloudina Road, call for urgent control measurements

Pretoria East residents are raising concerns about the lack of traffic calming measures on Gloudina Road in Murrayfield and Lynnwood Ridge.

They allege that speeding motorists are creating dangerous conditions for the community at these intersections.

Lido Pellencin said the problem has persisted for over two decades, and despite repeated calls for intervention, the metro has never acted.

However, the metro said it currently does not have enough funds to install any traffic calming measures on Lynnwood Ridge and Gloudina Road.

Pellencin, who lives on Gloudina Road, described how traffic has steadily increased in recent years, especially during peak hours.

“It must be between 20 and 30 years since I lived here. Gloudina Road has no humps, no traffic circles, nothing,” he said.

He explained that drivers looking to avoid the slower traffic on Theuns Street, which has three speed humps and a traffic circle, are now using Gloudina Road as a faster alternative.

“The majority of the traffic, especially in peak hours, takes Gloudina Road, which passes my house.”

He said the situation has become dangerous, with vehicles racing past his home.

Pellencin added that it is not safe for dogs and people who are walking, especially at peak hours.

“There are taxis and people coming from work, and they just race across here. It’s getting worse by the day.”

Pellencin said he has repeatedly requested that the metro investigate the issue and introduce calming measures before a serious accident happens.

The call for action is supported by Roelie Hendriks, one of the directors of Alpha Security.

He confirmed that the security group has also submitted formal requests to the metro for traffic calming measures in the area.

“We are still waiting for the metro to confirm the CUP (Community Upliftment Programme) that will be funded by residents,” he said.

Metro spokesperson Selby Bokaba confirmed that the Alpha Security Forum submitted requests to address speeding and dangerous driving in the Lynnwood Ridge and Murrayfield South access management area.

He said the metro has launched a formal process to investigate possible solutions, saying, “Traffic counts have been conducted to consider traffic calming measures.”

However, Bokaba added that due to current budget constraints, the metro is not in a position to install any new traffic-calming infrastructure.

“Currently, the city is not in a position to install any traffic calming measures due to the unavailability of funding,” he said.

When asked how the metro decides where to place speed humps, Bokaba explained that a number of criteria are used to evaluate each request.

He said some of these criteria include speed surveys, traffic counts, pedestrian activity, residential access, and road class.

“Each request is assigned a ranking score that determines its priority within a specific region.”

Bokaba added that the metro is also considering a request for a three-way stop sign in the area, but he emphasised that any new signage must meet legal criteria before it can be approved.

Residents have also raised concerns about municipal vehicles, including Tshwane buses, speeding along Gloudina Road.

In response, Bokaba said the metro has not received any complaints specifically about speeding buses.

However, concerns about heavy vehicles using the road in violation of the existing five-ton weight restriction are being taken seriously.

“The matter will be escalated to the TMPD for law enforcement,” he said.

Another concern raised by residents is the ineffectiveness of existing speed bumps on nearby Rubida Street.

While shallow speed bumps exist near the top circle, the rest of the road down the hill is unregulated, allowing drivers to accelerate dangerously.

According to Bokaba, no plans currently exist to improve these speed bumps due to ongoing budget issues.

He added that while the metro understands the need for safer streets, not all roads qualify for physical speed-calming measures like humps.

“Traffic calming, such as speed hump measures, is not likely to be considered on high-order roads,” he said.

Bokaba said more passive measures, such as road markings and signage, may be considered for busier roads to promote safer driving behaviour.

He urged residents to work closely with their local ward councillors and submit formal applications to the city’s Roads and Transport Department if they want to see changes in their neighbourhoods.

“The application will then be evaluated and, if warranted, be placed on a traffic calming priority list, along with similar requests for the particular region in question.”

Bokaba said the implementation thereof is subject to the availability of funding.

*Please note this article has been amended

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