Rough reception for Vincent humps
Nedlands residents are in disbelief that an expensive blight in their suburb’s history looks set to repeat itself.
The City has notified Vincent Street locals that 14 speed humps will be installed next month between Melvista and Jenkins avenues, using a federal grant.
A meeting of around two dozen residents was convened at Michael Lindroos’s house on Wednesday night to discuss the issues and sign a petition to be presented to council.
“Several remembered the debacle over speed humps in Carrington Street and the cost to the rate payers,” Mr Lindroos said.
“This shows historical mistakes ready to be repeated.”
Councillors will hold a special meeting on Tuesday.
“A notice to residents was issued on the 20th of March citing the proposed work and its purpose of reducing traffic hazards and road trauma,” Mr Lindroos said.
“One major factor has been overlooked: Twenty years ago, speed bumps were installed. A year later they were removed. The reason: No reduction in speed and a huge increase in road noise.
“The present City engineering department did not know this history.”
Former Nedlands councillor and deputy mayor Bill Hassell said Nedlands was experiencing “a total loss of corporate memory”.
“Surely even the council administration know that the last installation of speed humps (as now apparently decided for Vincent Street) was divisive and drew community protests forcing the council to back down and remove them,” he wrote in a letter to the POST.
Speed humps were ground out from Carrington Street in 2011 after three years of community backlash.
Mr Lindroos said it would be cheaper and more sensible to reduce the speed limit on Vincent Street to 40kmh and to upgrade and improve the existing traffic-calming measures at the intersections.