Six speed-bumps added to the top of Te Mata Peak Rd

Te Mata Peak Rd was closed while the Hastings District Council installs six speed cushions on the road up to the summit. Photo / Warren Buckland

After years of public concerns, six speed-bumps have been installed to help improve safety on the upper part of Te Mata Peak Rd.

Work on installing the speed cushions started on Monday, August 15, closing the road from 6am to 5pm over a five-day period, to vehicles above Peak House but was still open to pedestrians.

Peak House remained open to the public.

Speed cushions were being introduced as a safety measure because of public concerns raised with Hastings District Council about crashes and near-miss incidents over several years on the increasingly busy road.

As one of the actions identified as part of the development of the Te Mata Peak Rd corridor, management plan to place speed cushions on the 1.3 kilometre section of road from above the Peak House eatery to just below the summit.

Speed cushions installed to improve safety on Te Mata Peak Rd. Photo / Warren Buckland

The bumps were positioned along road areas used by a mix of pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles.

And were also placed on long straights where there was a sense of "openness" for the motorist.

Te Mata Park Trust manager Emma Buttle explained the stretch of the road up to Te Mata Peak has been a concern for some time.

She said park users' safety is a top priority for trustees.

"It's great to see measures being taken to improve its safety - this road is getting busier, and it's challenging to navigate."

With so many people walking and biking along Te Mata Peak Rd, the high speeds of some drivers are very worrying, Buttle said.

"We always advise people to take care, and this will help serve as a reminder to drive slowly and carefully."