Letter from the Melville Residents’ Association to COJ regarding Speed Enforcement on Main Road Melville sent by email.
 
We urge residents to send their own letters requesting speed enforcement to ensure greater impact from the community. As per Ward Cllr, one or two complaints/letters will have almost no effect.
 
Address your emails to
 
 
with CC to
 
 

Dear Director Khanyile,

 

Re: URGENT: Speed Enforcement Request by Camera – Main Road Melville

There has been a tragic accident on Main Road in Melville, this however is not unforeseen and calls have been made previously to add speed enforcement cameras and traffic calming on Main Road. This is also further enforced in the Melville Auckland Park Precinct Plan, which calls for traffic calming on Main Road. We are specifically referring to the section of Main Road as indicated in the map attached as annexure “A”.

 

Residents have previously complained about the high speed of taxis, drag racers and other private vehicles traveling on this road, posing a danger not only to pedestrians but also the occupants of public transport vehicles and themselves.

 

 

Drag racing occurs regularly on Main Road which is also often lubricated by alcohol given the various establishments in the suburb that serve alcoholic beverages. This is a risk to the drivers, pedestrians crossing the road and other road users. The section of Main Road from 1st Avenue down to Eleventh Avenue, towards Cresta, provides an ideal “strip” for drag racers, as the downhill slope provides favourable conditions for this activity.

 

Given the connection that Beyers Naude provides between Empire Road and the West of Johannesburg, there are a large number of minibus taxis that use this road, causing additional congestion which frustrates drivers and makes it more likely for an accident and speeding to occur.

The minibus taxis also carry larger numbers of people than private vehicles, increasing the number of people harmed in an accident with a speeding vehicle. This occurred today, on the 17th of August 2018, when a private vehicle and a taxi collided, injuring 16 school children (refer to annexure “B”).

Given that Metrobus, Putco and the Reaya Vaya also operate on this road, it would seem prudent for JMPD to take measures to protect a large portion of Johannesburg’s commuters that are exposed to this danger by utilizing public transport on this road.

 

We therefore urgently request temporary speed enforcement by camera as well as long-term, permanent speed cameras located on the stretch referred to above and as attached as annexure “A”.

 

Yours faithfully,

Melville Residents’ Association

 

BY CC:

Ward Councillor: Bridget Steer / bridget.steer@gmail.com

 

Annexure “A”: Street Map of Melville showing Main Road in blue

Annexure “B”:

Incident Report by ER24:

 

https://er24.info/melville-sixteen-children-injured-following-taxi-collision/