News of eight speed bumps delights Whangārei residents

Paulette Scrooby is delighted finally something is going to be done in Keyte St to slow speeding drivers. Photo / Tania Whyte

Eight raised speed platforms will slow traffic in a Whangārei street that has seen its fair share of carnage including a crash that killed a 20-year-old man.

News of the new traffic calming measures has delighted residents who say the road has been a "speedway" for far too long.

Paulette Scrooby, who has lived in the street for 14 years, has seen first hand the end result of speeding drivers.

"The bus shelter has been taken out, as has a power pole, a neighbour's fence, shrubs and one guy ended up literally in a tree," she said.

"We were some of the first people on the scene after the fatal and that's had a huge impact on my family."

When her children were younger she would not let them play in the front yard that borders Keyte St after witnessing a speeding car take out her neighbour's substantial row of shrubs.

"This is great news for everyone in this street. Anything that improves the safety for people who live here and use the road is great."

Sophie Savusa was equally as delighted the council had decided to go ahead with the speed bumps.

"It's hectic with traffic here and they just don't know how to slow down. I have my moko here and there are plenty of other children that walk to school along the road."

Shane Harema died when the car he was a backseat passenger in crashed at 80km/h, in Keyte St which has a maximum speed of 50km/h, on New Years Eve 2017.

The death sparked a petition by the street's residents calling for speed bumps.

The petition with 218 signatures from residents of Keyte St and the surrounding area, plus letters of support from the Police, Whau Valley Primary and People Potential was presented to the Whangārei District Council's roading department in February last year.

Consultation by the council revealed 100 percent residents were in favour of the proposal to install the raised platforms.Driver Michael Waiomio was jailed for two years and 10 months for dangerous driving causing death in June last year. The court heard Waiomio was distracted by looking in the rear vision mirror and talking to his mate Harema, who was not buckled in.

Waiomio, who had never held a driver's licence, lost control at the roundabout causing the car to hit the kerb, roll and slam through a garden fence about 10.30am.

Harema was thrown through a window of the car that was neither warranted or registered, on to the footpath. He suffered serious head injuries and died in hospital the same day.

In other work around the city Churchill St will also get three raised platforms as part of the same project. Churchill St, in Kensington, links Mains Av and Mill Rd. There will also be work on nine raised medians - traffic islands - at various indiscretions in Otangarei.