Resident ‘ignored’ over speeding fears
Plea to slow traffic on approach to beach
At least one resident on Foxton Beach’s Cousins Ave East is fed up with speeding cars and motorbikes. Pat Gleeson, who has lived on the road, opposite a play centre, for the past four years, said: “Vehicle speeds vary but can get up to 80-100km/h. This is a 50km/h zone. My real concern is that someone is going to get injured or killed.
“Even drivers aged over 60 are often going way too fast.”
The wide and straight road, which ends at a park, may be a tempting stretch of road for racers, he fears.
He said vehicles, including motorbikes, come down Palmer Rd, slow down to go over a judder bar and then drivers rev their engines to go down his street and around the corner into Nash Parade, with screeching tyres, to get to the beach.
He said he repeatedly brought the issue up with Horowhenua District Council, who according to him claim it is a police matter, rather than a council one. Gleeson disagrees and feels ignored by the council.
In one of the conversations with council staff he recalled someone mentioned the need for some speedmonitoring gadget, but it seemed to Gleeson to be too involved to actually get something done.
“How long and how much does it take to put some judder bars in to slow traffic?
“For some time now I have been making representations to the Horowhenua District Council about the speed vehicles travel down Cousins Ave East. I have been basically ignored.”
“Police are not immediately aware of any reported incidents from residents of, or around Cousins Ave in relation to speeding in the area,” a police spokesperson said.
“We encourage members of the public to report these incidents to police, it is helpful if you can give police as much detail as possible including, registration plate, make and colour of vehicle, number of passengers.
“If the incident is happening please contact 111, if you are reporting on an incident that has already occurred contact 105 or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.”
District councillor David Allan also said he was not aware of any speeding issues down Cousins Ave.
“You can see quite a few marks on the road where people have bumped over that judder bar at the start of the road, though,” he said.
“Perhaps that is insufficient incentive to slow down and should be looked at by council.”
Allan said reports of incidents are needed to get action, but neither council nor police have had any complaints. If there are enough complaints, council and police will have to do something about it, he said.
“Residents are more than welcome to ring both myself and Cr Ross Brannigan about speeding issues. I also encourage people who have rung the council and believe they are being ignored, to challenge that. They would have been given a case number that they can use to do that.”
Brannigan, who lives not far from Cousins Ave East, said he can often hear cars coming down Palmer Rd.
“Many crash over the speed bump.
While these slow traffic down, anyone near them will tell you that they also create issues with cars slowing, bumping over and then accelerating again. Speed bumps do create extra noise for nearby residents.”
He hasn’t had any complaints from residents on the road either but is happy to talk to anyone about it.
“If it is serious, I can take it to the roading team and ask them to take a look at it. They have resolved similar issues elsewhere in Foxton Beach,” he said.
Foxton and Foxton Beach are part of the Kere Kere Ward and has two councillors: Ross Brannigan 021 247 7338 (mobile), or email: cr.ross. brannigan@horowhenua. govt.nz and David Allan 021 031 1812 (mobile), or email: cr.david.allan@horowhenua. govt.nz