Dear Tasmanian Times,
I and other Ridgeway residents and some others have been actively campaigning against the installation of speed humps in Waterworks Road.
As you are probably aware, DIER has now withdrawn approval for these speed humps.
Please find attached a letter from DIER to the Hobart City Council wherein it states its reasons for withdrawing the humps:
Download: Letter_DIER_to_HCC_23Feb11.pdf
Below, Our viewpoint:
Waterworks Road speed humps.
Regular travellers and some residents of Waterworks Road welcome the decision by DIER to withdraw approval for speed humps along Waterworks Road.
DIER said that Council speed surveys showed that speeding was not an issue along this road, and that the road did not have an elevated accident history. DIER has consistently advised Council since 2007 that speed humps are ill-conceived and inappropriate for this this road.
Ridgeway residents opposing the speed humps believe that speed humps would not improve road safety because they would present an extra hazard on an already narrow and winding road. In addition, under the Local Government (Highways) Act they are classified as “obstructions”, not “improvements”.
Pedestrian amenity was always the underlying issue. Fundamental to pedestrian amenity is good footpaths. Ridgeway residents are fully supportive of any moves to improve the footpaths along this road, which are woefully inadequate and have difficult crossing points.
It is a pity that so much time and effort has been wasted on this attempt to install socially divisive and useless speed humps. Safety of pedestrians along this road will be far better served by improving the footpaths.
