'Massive problem' on Naenae street say couple who lined berm with concrete blocks

Louise and Blair Ansell have lined their berm with six two-tonne concrete blocks to provide protection from speeding cars. Photo/Melissa Nightingale

A Lower Hutt couple who lined their berm with concrete blocks after two cars crashed through their fence this year say there is a real problem on the street - with one neighbour dubbing his stretch of road "the corner of doom".

Naenae residents Louise and Blair Ansell were living in fear after two separate crashes sent cars flying through their fence and into their front yard on the corner of Waddington Drive and Cole St, the most recent happening in the early hours of Boxing Day.

Fed up with incidents caused by speeding drivers, the Ansells have put six two-tonne concrete blocks along their berm for protection.

The couple, who have four children, were "literally drifting off to sleep" after a long Christmas Day when a car ploughed into their yard.

People take the corner by the Ansells' house too fast, which has resulted in to two crashes this year. Photo/Melissa Nightingale

"We heard this huge bang, it was like an explosion outside," Louise Ansell said.

"There was heaps of light and I just ran to the front of the house. No gate, no fence. I just yelled to my husband 'oh s***, it happened again.'"

The pair had only put the finishing touches on their fence in June, having had to rebuild it after an earlier crash in late January. That crash caused $4000 in damage, which the Ansells had to partly cover out of their own pocket because a neighbour whose fence was also damaged did not have insurance.

To now have the fence brought down again was "frustrating" for the Ansells, as well as concerning.

"The last time it happened I didn't sleep for a month because I was so worried," Ansell said.

One guy down the end of the road, he calls [his] corner the corner of doom because people keep going through his fence.

Louise Ansell

Now the blocks are in place, she sleeps fine.

The couple decided to put the blocks there on Boxing Day when they began cleaning up the mess left behind by the car.

Many cars take the corner too fast, she said.

"We feel really unsafe . . . I don't feel so bad about it at night because the kids are inside. I don't feel like I can let my kids go out and play if it was daytime."

Since news of the Ansells' safety measures broke, several neighbours have been in touch with them complaining of similar issues.

"One guy down the end of the road, he calls [his] corner the corner of doom because people keep going through his fence," she said.

A Hutt City Council staff member came to visit the Ansells yesterday and told them council would look into the issue when staff were back on January 8.

Ansell said they would not be moving the blocks until something was done.

"There's a massive problem on this street."

Council has been contacted for comment.

A Givealittle page has been set up to help the family cover the costs of rebuilding the fence the first time, and the expected $600 excess for rebuilding it this time.