3 October 2023
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Calls for traffic calming in Harold Crescent
Enquiry
I'm following up on a story about a shocking crash that happened on Harold Cres in the early hours of September 9.
Renea Wharekura, her 4-year-old and her partner were asleep in the rear corner bedroom of their house when a woman who was allegedly drunk and speeding drove her car through a fence, a garage, another fence and into the rear of Renea's property.
Renea woke when a window frame fell on her face. A television on a cabinet fell around where he daughter was sleeping.
The damage is horrific. The landlord's insurance company and a builder have been around to board up the house but repairs won't be done for at least a month. The family is still living there, but have moved to the lounge area.
It's been just over three weeks and the smashed up car remains on the front lawn/side of the road (where the builder moved it to).
Residents in the street have rattled off countless police chases, motorbike crashes, car crashes and accidents that have occurred in the last few years. Many of these I don't believe have been reported.
John Webster, who has contacted the council before requesting speed bumps, said the problem has got worse since speed humps have been put on Ford Rd. Those speeding, now cut through their street.
He and another neighbour, who doesn't want to be identified, are renewing their calls to have speed bumps on the road.
[John] told me he got a response saying it wasn't possible as there weren't enough recorded crashes on the street to justify the speed bumps. He's asking again if the council would reconsider.
Re car removal: the police have told me it's usual practice for them to arrange a towing company which might have been missed this time, but the car is kind of on the footpath area so maybe it is the council?
Questions:
- Will the council ever consider speed bumbs for Harold Cres? Why/why not?
- Will the council remove the wrecked car from the street?
- Whose responsibility is it to remove the car?
Subsequent from reporter:
John Webster said the council had already called him yesterday to explain a few things about how it is decided where speed bumps go.
Response
We are still to confirm information relating to removal of the vehicle but in the meantime provided the following re traffic calming:
From Group Manager Infrastructure and Environmental Solutions, Stavros Michael:
Will the council ever consider speed bumps for Harold Cres? Why/why not?
Council receives requests for traffic calming interventions such as speed humps on an almost weekly basis. We have a limited budget and resources for such work and we have to operate a priority list based on assessed risk.
Following a request from Mr Webster and in light of the recent crash, Harold Cres has been added to the list of streets which are assessed annually for traffic calming. Roads which receive the highest overall risk score are prioritised to receive traffic calming treatments. The assessment will determine if traffic calming measures are warranted and if so, we would then determine what type of traffic calming would be most appropriate.
When considering traffic calming measures such as speed bumps, the road is given a priority score which is calculated through traffic volumes and types of user percentages, recorded vehicle speeds, reported speed related crashes/injuries, and proximity to community facilities (schools/early childhood education centres, rest homes, marae, parks, halls) that generate pedestrian traffic. This formula ensures that all roads are evaluated objectively and consistently.
It’s important to note that when Council installs traffic calming measures, it is with the intention of slowing down speeding traffic, not with the expectation that we will be able to prevent any incident from occurring.
We urge the public to report crime – either after it has happened by calling 105 or reporting online 105 Police Non-Emergency | New Zealand Police or by dialling 111 if it is happening now.