How far are we with the speedbumps down St Georges? We have R8 000 and a signed petition for it with Madam Speaker of Council (I should get feed-back on the petition this week).
But: Johannesburg Road Agency says we're one of 2 000 applications and ONE speedbump costs between R40 000 and R80 000 installed.
So one of our residents, Ralph Wingrove, came up with a brilliant idea: install our own speedbumps, widely used overseas, at a fraction of the cost.
The speedbumps, made of rubber, are simply bolted to the street and have built-in yellow and black markings and cats' eyes.
They are safe, won't damage your car (or your back) and WILL slow down traffic.
The cost? Merely R4 000 each - installed. So, we can have at leats TWO down St Georges Rd.
Will we be legal? We are going to try, but...
Gerard Street residents have also been battling for years to have a couple of speed bumps installed there - so we are joining forces to have a collective order and maybe negotiate an even bigger discount.
To see what others think of the idea so far CLICK HERE.
More about the speedbumps:
Why use rubber instead of concrete
or asphalt? Hazard invented the idea of using
rubber to manufacture speed ramps as they enforce and control traffic speeds
without any damage to vehicles.
How high are the ramps and can all types of vehicles drive over?
There are three versions, 70mm high, 60mm and 50mm for speeds from5 to 20
m.p.h., and everything from a Smart car to HGVs can drive over.
Will the ramps slow my traffic down? Yes, drivers will slow
down and pass over our ramps safely but, to be effective, ramps and signs have
to be seen, whatever the conditions.
Are these Speed Bumps ramps safe? Manufactured in tyre stock
rubber to prevent any damage to vehicles as they pass over, Speed Bumps are
designed to be much lower than the MOT guidelines of 100mm high ramps in urban
areas!
Posted 17 October 2006 by
The speedramp with built-in cats' eyes and markings
You have signed the petition and gave some of your well-earned money and we are taking the traffic calming measures further. First the bad news: according to the Johannsburg Road Agency
we will be one of 2000 applications
a traffic study of about R20 000 must be undertaken first to decide if it's necessary
a speed hump nowadays cost anything between R15 000 and R20 000 (yes, for ONE)
But we have our petition and our partial first bump PAID - and if necessary we will make a video over a week or two to show the authorities the speeding we are talking about. Let's see how far we get. Surely the fact that 41 of the 58 affected households in St Georges signed the petition (88 voices in all) must count for SOMETHING!
Posted 8 August 2006 See how much money our Concert in the Park raised by CLICKING HERE Concert in the Park THIS Sunday 16 July to raise money for speedbumps down St Georges
We're having our concert in the park this Sunday from 10 am in the park on the corner of St Georges and Da Gama street.
First the good news: maths has never been my strong point - and because I can't count, we're down R10 000 on the target of R40 000 for four speed bumps down St Georges. I saw the list of St Georges residents - and it ended at number 158. That means 158 households. But, of course, St Georges starts down in Yeoville. So there are actually only 59 households in the stretch where we want speed bumps. (I'll try to cover it up by squeezing corporates for donations)
But the better news: 24 of the 59 households have pledged and coughed up. We have R2 400 for a quarter speed bump already.
And the best news: we're ready for you this Sunday. Our bands are in place, our prizes are worked out, the karaoke will run and our auction is looking good (lots of willing females).
Don't worry about security either: the mounted police said they'll send a horse or two to keep us company.
To make it even more interesting, you can bring your table and old books/elephants/cats/craft whatever and see if you can make a quick buck on Sunday. All we're asking for is a donation of R100 for selling your stuff (10 tables will equal R1 000, so don't be shy...) Please phone Ane on 648 8374 or Carine on 648 0027 if you want to book a table.
For those who just want to party, all you have to bring is your picnic blanket and/or chairs. We will be up and running by 10 am and should wind down by 3 pm.
Johnny Dopper and the Rubber Sole Shoes
What have we organised up to date?
Live bands:
Johnny Dopper and the Rubber Sole Shoes will supply the alternative rock;
Sacred Heart's Marimba Band will be in action;
The choir of Sacred Heart's primary school can be heard
Jenny Kantal will swing us with a bit of jazz
the National School of Arts will supply the classical touch.
Da Natives, a jazz band known at Mojo's, say they'll pitch around lunch to entertain us
Our auction includes:
two babysitters up for grabs @ R300 each for halfday or R500 for full day
two chefs willing to cook and serve you a romantic meal at your home @ R600
a full body massage @ R350
A romantic weekend away worth R1 000
Signed and limited editions of books by your suburb's famous authors
Other activities:
Karaoke @ R10 a throw (The worst Karaoke will win two bottles of GOOD wine)
A raffle @ R10 a ticket. Prizes include hair poducts worth R850; a free massage worth R350; good booze that's priceless; signed books; jewellery, you name it
A free jumping castle for the kids
Free Oros for all kids
Soup @ R5 a cup (Councillor Shirley Ancer is making her special brew AND organising the road closure for the day)
Boerewors rolls @R10 each
Beer and wine @ R5 each (Mike Burke from winedotcom donated all the wine again and SA Breweries kindly donated all our beer again, thanks to SAB's Rob Fleming!)
Browse the couple of tables to buy...
Sounds good? We'll see you and your blanket on Sunday morning.
Most important: donate your R100 if you live in St Georges - or if you feel you can benefit from a speed bump or two. Use your street number and BUMP as reference. The banking details? Observatory Ratepayers Association Absa 160 Jan Smuts Avenue Acc: 404 668 6206 Branch code: 508 005
Fax your payment to 0866544781 so I can keep track
Posted 10 July by
So we've been promised a manual speed trap end of April. It's now end of June and NOT ONCE has there been any form of trapping down St Georges.
We need to make a plan - and here is mine: The Observatory Ratepayers Association needs to pay the planner first and foremost. There is barely enough money for that. There is NO money for speed bumps - and that is probably our best option.
So how do we pay for speed bumps at a cost of R10 000 each? All residents living in St Georges to donate R100 (or whatever you can afford). Help in me targeting your neighbours to cough up.
And let's have a street party in the park at the corner of Da Gama and St Georges to raise funds. Soon.
If you want to donate your R100, pay it into ORA's account and mark it with your street number and BUMPS. Then we'll know what the money is for.
And help me organise the street party by e-mailing
The banking details? Observatory Ratepayers Association Absa 160 Jan Smuts Avenue Acc: 404 668 6206 Branch code: 508 005
Fax your payment to 0866544781 so I can keep track
Posted 19 June 2006 by Carine Hartman,
It's been a while, but we have approached DA councillor Carol Milner AGAIN to ask what is happening with our application for a speed trap down St Georges Rd. Her reply? Questions asked of the (hopefully) right person in Council. Here's her e-mail:
From: Carol Milner Sent: 26 January 2006 10:27 AM To: '
' Subject: Question - Follow up - Speed trap- St Georges, Observatory
With regard the commitment by Region 8 JMPD to set up speed traps in St Georges, please indicate:-
1) when the traps will be installed; 2) the frequency of the installation; 3) whether council is aware that there have been no speed traps in St Georges; 4) that the lives of pedestrians and motorists are at risk by the speeding in this road?
Why don't we all e-mail
with the same questions - and let's hope we speed up the process...
Posted 6 February 2006 by
More power to the people! The DA Councillor for Kensington, Carol Milner, has taken up the Observatory residents’ quest for a speed trap down St Georges Road with Council last week.
Milner has been fighting tirelessly for speed enforcement in the area – but it is still minimal, despite JMPD's comment that "due to the increasing number of speed violations complaints received within Regions the Assistant Area Commanders were given the responsibility to do manual speed law enforcement within their respective Regions from February 2005".
We have forwarded our formal request for a speed trap down St Georges to her – and she immediately took up the issue with the right people: she has demanded answers to the following questions with regards to St Georges Road:
Please append copies of all correspondence in response to the attached request for a trap; If no response has been sent, please advise when such response will be sent?
The dates and times of all speed traps;
The number of fines issued during each trap;
The amount of each fine in each instance;
The average speed during each trap; and
the planned schedule of traps in response to the statement "due to the increasing number of speed violations complaints received within Regions the Assistant Area Commanders were given the responsibility to do manual speed law enforcement within their respective Regions from February 2005" included in the replies to questions tabled on 25 August 2005 from February 2005 to December 2005.
Milner's annual questions to JMPD on speed traps on main arterials have again yielded no improvement since 2002 and should be of major concern to all residents, she says.
“Road blocks are all very well and good but the lives of pedestrians and children are in the hands of a council department whose only performance measures are the number of tickets issued and the number of warrants executed,” says Milner
We’ll keep you posted on the answers to those questions.
Contact Carol Miner at (011) 498 5478; fax: (011) 498 5788; or e-mail her at
Posted on3 October2005 by
FAXED APPLICATION SENT WEDNESDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2005 to:
FAXED APPLICATION SENT WEDNESDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2005 to:
Supt Hescamp
082 559 0077
Fax: 011 760 5920
Dear Supt Hescamp
As one of many concerned residents living in St Georges Road, Observatory, I want to formally apply for Metro Police to trap speedsters down this very busy road.
The stretch of St Georges Rd between Aida and Innes Street is used daily as a cut-through for motorist wanting to avoid the equally busy Sylvia’s Pass, with high volumes of traffic recorded during the peak hours. The problem is the speeding of these motorists through a quiet residential area every morning and afternoon. They have no regards for a speed limit, fly down the stretch of road at break-neck speed; overtake on solid lines, and even on blind rises.
It has been a concern for residents for quite some time: we launched a web site two months ago - www.observatory.za.net - and it is one of the most hotly debated topics on the site with 13 replies and more than 170 views of it. In a poll on how to stop speeding down St Georges 35 people have voted already.
The area is in the process of drawing up a formal precinct plan, where traffic issues like this will be addressed, either through speed bumps or traffic lights, but we need to address the issue in the interim before more serious accidents happen. I am personally aware of two serious accidents in the past two years – both caused through speeding.
I have spoken to Sergeant Dalano Coverdale, who referred me to you. Any help by Metro Police to stop speeding down St Georges Road as soon as possible will be greatly appreciated.
Kind regards Carine Hartman 171 St Georges Road Observatory Ext 011 648 0027 082 515 8499
