Seafront Rd residents want action on speeding

The makeshift speed bump was removed after six hours. Photo / File

Some Seafront Rd residents want action taken to reduce speed on the street.

A frustrated resident last week installed an "unauthorised" speed bump on the road.

The resident - who did not want to be named - said they Installed the speed bump after a spate of vehicles speeding down the road at all hours.

Another resident told the Chronicle that cars driving down the road at 90-100km/h occurred "every bloody night".

The speed limit on the street is 50km/h.

Glen MacMillan, who has lived on the street for many years, said the Whanganui District Council had its priorities wrong, investing in Rangiora St to beautify the area, without considering important safety upgrades for nearby streets.

MacMillan said he and other residents of the street had approached the council asking for a crossing or speed bump.

"We need a crossing. It's us that are going to run out when we hear the screeching tires and the thud," he said.

But the council said it had only received two complaints about speed on the street, once in 2018 and once in October this year, which referred specifically to dirtbikes.

"We are not aware of Seafront Rd being mentioned at multiple meetings or being raised directly with elected officials in recent years," a spokesperson said.

The council said because the two complaints only referred to dirtbikes, speed humps were not installed, as dirtbikes can avoid bumps.

However, the council confirmed a speed survey on the street did not present any figures out of the ordinary.

"A speed survey/traffic count was undertaken between November 23 and December 2 this year. This data was not abnormal for our roading network and did not stand out as a candidate for intervention."

It said 2.6 per cent) of vehicles travelling well over the posted speed were passed on to the police to target.