Whanganui District Council removes Aramoho speed bumps following community feedback

Wayne Hooper with the petition to remove the speed bumps on Somme Parade. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown

The Whanganui District Council has removed the speed bumps outside Aramoho Shopping Centre following a community-led petition.

The speed bumps near the corner of Somme Pde and Kaikokopu Rd were taken away last Friday after more than 250 people signed the petition.

Chief executive David Langford said the council acknowledged the feedback from the petition and acted on the requests.

The speed humps were left in place after slip repair works in 2023 to continue helping with pedestrian safety in the area.

“While this was well-intentioned, we acknowledge that there have been some negative side effects, which the petitioners have brought to our attention,” Langford said.

“We’ve listened to the community and the speed humps have been removed.”

The speed bumps near Aramoho Shopping Centre in Whanganui have been removed following feedback from residents. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown

The petition was set to be presented to the council on May 20 but Langford said he had informed the petition creator, David McCormack, it was no longer required.

McCormac, who had trouble sleeping because of the noise of trucks driving over the speed bumps during the night, was pleased with the outcome.

“I’m pleased for everybody, it’s not just me - we’ve achieved what we wanted to achieve.

“It’s going to be quite strange waking up in the morning and not being woken by a truck in the middle of the night.”

The council will undertake a full safety audit of the area to assess whether other improvements can be made to enhance pedestrian safety without significantly affecting traffic flow.

Following the audit, the council will explore funding options for any improvements with NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.