Homeowner hit by six cars, and still no end in sight

Marcel Kalma has even built a fence to try to keep cars out of his property. Picture / Paul Estcourt

Last April a car careered off Beach Rd in North Shore, plunged 30m down a bank and smashed into Marcel Kalma's car.

Less than three months later, an almost identical accident left a car embedded in the foundations of his Browns Bay house.

Since then four other cars have failed to negotiate the bend and ploughed on to Mr Kalma's property.

Only good fortune had prevented a serious accident, but he must wait another two months for the problem to be solved.

Mr Kalma said he had spoken to the North Shore City Council many times and they had promised to improve the road.

But with work not yet started, the final straw came last week - when two cars flew into his garden in little more than six hours.

"If I could grab a shovel and do the work myself I would, but of course I'm not allowed.

"How many times does a car have to fly through my property before something is done?"

Mr Kalma's house stands close to the intersection of Beach Rd and Bayview Rd. Although the entrance to the property is on a straight piece of road, drivers misjudge the right-hand bend just after Bayview Rd, and tumble down an embankment into Mr Kalma's property.

Only one car had actually hit his house, in September last year, "but we know it's only a matter of time until another one does".

Last Tuesday a car landed in his garden about 9am. Mr Kalma had barely finished sorting out the damage when, at 3.30pm, another car arrived.

He again called the council and was told the work was planned - but the contractor was overloaded and had no date for when it would start.

"This has been going on since April last year and still nothing has been done. It all seems rather Third World."

The black spot had also tested other motorists. Mr Kalma said he had seen a driver lose control and spin 180 degrees.

Another had knocked down a temporary 30km/h warning sign then driven away.

Council spokesman Kurt Shanks said a $150,000 contract for redesign work was about to be signed.

The road would be resurfaced and the gradient increased, which reports suggested would put a stop to the accidents.

The apparent delay was because "redesigning roads and preparing reports takes time and we don't want to rush into a temporary solution that does not solve the problem".

The work was due to be completed by the end of March.