Duck deaths cause concern

Half a dozen duck deaths caused by drivers hurtling along Ness Rd, Waipapa have residents concerned it will one day be a person.

Resident Beverley Callan says a group of around 20 people who live on Ness Rd and Waipapa West Rd met a couple of weeks ago to discuss their concerns with driver’s speed, poor visibility, and a lack of signage, among other issues.

‘‘We lost two ducks last week, and there are frequently squashed ducks,’’ Callan says.

‘‘But it really is about more than the ducks - if you can’t stop for a duck how could you stop for a child, or someone on a bike, or someone on a horse?’’

Callan says the ducks are regularly hit where they cross on a corner which has poor visibility and no shoulder space, near the beginning of the 100 kmh Ness Rd.

‘‘The speed at which people approach the corner and the issue of visibility makes it really unsafe.’’

The group plan to call for a speed reduction, signage, and maintenance of vegetation along their roads.

Callan says they would be seeking more information about the road’s safety before approaching the council for help.

Until then Callan urges people to drive to the conditions. ’’Especially around corners with reduced visibility, remember we live rurally and share the road with other users not just cars.’’

Another Ness Rd local, who has lived there for around 27 years, says there have been a number of accidents. A car had slammed into a gum tree and another car was written off after it crashed on the same corner. Last year, a truck and trailer unit rolled at the same spot.

Far North councillor Ann Court says the road code requires people to drive to the conditions.

‘‘There is driver education in this, they need to assess risk and I imagine people who live there drive to the conditions.’’

In reducing a speed limit, roading engineers would make an assessment, using factors such as crash history, depth of drains, and the number of driveways. These factors are put into a matrix which then suggest an appropriate speed limit, Court says.

‘‘If there is a design problem, the council would need to come there and fix that.’’

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Beverley Callan with a sign on Ness Rd, warning motorists to watch out for ducks. She says if people can’t stop for ducks crossing the road, how can people stop for humans.