1400 signatures for Whanganui roundabout on 'death trap'

Enough is enough, say Whanganui residents Teresa Payton and Sandra Watson who presented a petition to council. Photo/ Emma Russell

More than 1400 Whanganui residents have signed a petition in a bid to get rid of a "death trap" by installing a roundabout.

Tawhero resident Sandra Watson's fence has been hit four times in the past year and 10 times since she has lived on the city's Totara St/Fitzherbert Ave corner.

Her neighbour, Teresa Payton, also told of her huge losses from people crashing into her property as they turned the corner.

"I still can't use my garage because of the damage, my caravan has been written off and I'd only owned it for three months, and I'm still battling with my insurance," Payton said.

Death trap on the corner of Fitzherbert Ave and Totara St in Tawhero, Whanganui.

The pair handed their petition, with more than 1400 signatures gathered in less than five weeks, to the Whanganui District Council yesterday morning.

A council spokesperson said the petition would be given to the chief executive before it can be presented at the next council meeting on April 10.

Watson said they received an overwhelming response from the petition, and residents of all ages expressing their concerns.

"One man even drew a diagram of how the roundabout could work, as well as a problems and solutions table.

"People keep telling us how dangerous the corner is and that it's not easy to see which direction cars are coming from," Watson said.

Looking out the window at the rain, Watson said it was days like this she dreaded the most.

"You hear cars skidding and your heart is pounding and you're just thinking please don't crash.

Sandra Watson's Fitzherbert Ave fence has been smashed eight times. Photo / File

"People have said to us it's just a matter of time before someone dies on that corner and that's what we want to stop."

After the most recent crash, last month, the Whanganui District Council investigated short-term solutions such as warning signs approaching the bend.

But Watson and Payton say it's not enough.

Creating a T-intersection and a stop sign between the two roads has also been mooted as part of a longer-term extension of Fitzherbert Ave through to Mosston Rd.

"I don't think a stop sign would work because people would just use Fitzherbert Ave as a raceway and people don't always stop. A roundabout would force people to slow down," Watson said.

Payton said it hadn't been an easy decision to start this petition because all the publicity made "our properties unsellable".

"We just don't want to see anyone killed or experience any further financial loss. Enough is enough."