'Aggressive' speed bumps upset Pāpāmoa residents

The speed bumps have been installed on Te Okuroa Drive. Photo / John Borren, Sun Media

Recently installed speed bumps on an arterial route in Pāpāmoa are causing concern for locals.

The speed bumps are on Te Okuroa Drive near the intersection of Waikiwi Way in Pāpāmoa East.

Pāpāmoa Residents and Ratepayer Association chairman Philip Brown said the speed bumps were "aggressive" and should only be used in carparks.

Brown had heard from a number of residents who were frustrated with the traffic-calming measure.

Pāpāmoa Residents and Ratepayer Association chairman Philip Brown wants the speed bumps removed. Photo / John Borren, Sun Media

"The local residents are definitely not happy about it.

"I'd hate to go through there in an ambulance in a hurry, or even a fire engine."

He was concerned the new additions could cause accidents.

Brown gave some possible scenarios. These were: a driver seeing the bump too late and swerving or losing control of their car; a driver not seeing the car in front slowing for the bump and hitting them; and a driver not slowing for the bump then losing control or leaving the road.

Te Manawa o Pāpāmoa School, which opened this year, is on the section of Te Okuroa Drive where the speed bumps are but the school's entrance is not directly on that road.

Regarding the position of the speed bumps, Brown said he doubted many children would go that way to school, so the installation was "puzzling".

He said he would like to see the speed bumps removed and he questioned whether the policy was to install speed humps around every school.

"It [the road] should go back to being an arterial route and being acknowledged as that, it's not a little local route."

Brown was also eager to find out why Tauranga City Council had installed the speed humps.

"It doesn't make any sense because this is a major road, not a road to make traffic go down to about 5km/h to cross it.

"I don't even think that road needs any kind of speed-moderating devices."

Tauranga City Council transport infrastructure outcomes manager Mark Burgess said the speed humps were installed in April.

"The speed humps were installed as a temporary measure to reduce traffic speed in front of Te Manawa o Pāpāmoa School to provide a safe crossing location for school children," Burgess said.

He said a raised pedestrian crossing would be installed during the October school holidays.

"The permanent raised table is designed to cater for all vehicles, including buses.

"The location of the speed humps was dictated by the Ministry of Education installing an entrance to the primary school off Waikiwi Way."

Burgess said the work was to help facilitate the Land Transport Rule for speed limits that required setting a 30km/h permanent speed limit outside schools.

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