Boy’s injury sparks calls to fix speed
Marine Parade businesses say a lower speed limit will help improve safety after a pedestrian was hit crossing the road on Monday. The crash, which moderately injured a boy, occurred outside Six Sisters cafe. Staffer Robin Swindells said it appeared the child ran out and hit the back end of an oncoming car. She said at the cafe they often heard drivers slam on their brakes and toot horns to avoid hitting people on the crossing outside. The side of the road where the accident happened was in the parking zone, which was 30km/h, although people tended to drive faster. Fiesta Pinoy Asian Shop branch manager Rose Ceballos said she often saw parked cars hit outside her shop. Her customers were about 50/50 on whether they preferred the new layout compared with the old, which had one lane on either side of the median barrier. Arts on Parade volunteer Stuart McKenzie said the layout, with through-traffic on the ocean side and parking on the shops’ side, was better for them, as the heavy trucks going past used to make their paintings crooked. However, people drove too fast, and the limit should be 30km/ h on each side, he said. He volunteers at the shop for only half a day each week, and has not seen any near-misses between pedestrians and cars. A Napier City Council spokesperson said it was not able to comment. NCC is consulting the public on whether to change the Parade speed limit to 30km/h from the 40km/h courtesy zone.