Speeding on Randwick Park in Manurewa is becoming a concern. Photo: LDR / Tom Lee/ Stuff
South Auckland residents say even after a speeding fatality, they're still not being properly listened to.
Randwick Park residents in Manurewa have been trying for years to get speed bumps and other speed calming measures on their roads.
A teenager died in a crash in December, just months after residents spoke out about their safety concerns.
Speeding and burnouts were a regular occurrence on Riverton Rd, Hyperion Drive and Magic Way, with drivers using streets like "racing tracks", residents said.
Last week, after a push from residents and the Manurewa Local Board, Auckland Transport installed a "slow" sign on Hyperion Dr, to remind drivers to travel at appropriate speeds.
Randwick Park Residents Association chairperson Dave Tims said AT has not listened to their concerns about the most urgent areas needing intervention.
"A painted 'slow' sign on the road is a waste of time and money," Tims said.
"It will not make a difference. In fact, it is an insult, a clear sign that the urgency of the situation is not being taken seriously."
Tims said if AT was investing in speed signs, they should be installed where they were needed most - near Randwick Park School on Riverton Drive and Magic Way.
He said residents were concerned about the notorious speeding and near misses on Hyperion Dr.
The intersection off Nearco St and Limond St had also seen multiple crashes, where speeding cars missed the turn, and smashed into residents' fences.
Tims said Randwick Park School on Riverton Dr has had an alarming number of near-misses, with cars doing burnouts near the intersection off Melleray and Limond St.
Randwick Park residents turned up in numbers at last month's meeting to raise their concerns. Photo: Torika Tokalau/ Stuff
"The school is furious that there are no speed signs in place.
"Every school should have a 40km/h speed zone, yet Riverton Drive and Magic Way have none.
"School patrol teachers regularly report cars failing to stop, slamming on their brakes at the last second, and even overtaking vehicles while the patrol barriers are down - making crossing times extremely unsafe."
Last month, a car crashed through the school gates and into the school swimming pool's changing shed on Magic Way.
AT head of road safety engineering and community transport safety, Michael Brown said they took road safety extremely seriously.
"While we are working on solutions to help curb anti-social driving behaviour in the Randwick Park area, we acknowledge that dangerous driving is a wider social issue that takes a range of interventions to reduce," Brown said.
Brown said they were working with the Manurewa Local Board to install a raised speed table on Riverton Dr, at the intersection with Porchester Road, delivered this financial year.
"The local board has allocated funding to help with the design and delivery of this raised table."
Longer term solutions were also being explored, with the local board funding a speed calming project.
Brown said they would deliver the project at the next financial year.
Tims said they were frustrated.
"While we acknowledge AT's recent efforts, they have not listened to what we are saying about the most urgent areas needing intervention.
"They need to listen to the communities they serve."
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
