Fire chief backs $310k plan to lower Cambridge speed bumps

A fire chief says lowering 12 speed bumps in Cambridge and nearby Kihikihi could help save lives, with the work expected to cost $310,000.

Waipā District Council unanimously approved the changes following concerns from the community.

Six speed bumps have been prioritised for modification, with work expected to begin before Christmas.

The cost is estimated at $180,000 (exc GST). The sites include:

– Victoria Street pedestrian crossing, north of the clock tower, Cambridge

– Hamilton Road pedestrian crossing by the Athletics Club, Cambridge

– Cambridge Road pedestrian crossing near Kelly Road, Cambridge

– Cambridge Road and Hugo Shaw Drive intersection, Cambridge

– Whitmore Street pedestrian crossing outside Kihikihi School

– Oliver Street pedestrian crossing between Whitmore Street and Grey Street, Kihikihi

A strong advocate is Cambridge Volunteer Fire Brigade chief Dennis Hunt, who commended council for acting on concerns. He said the bumps slow down call-out times and fire-fighters arriving to the station, who had over 500 call-outs last year.
"We're not thinking of ourselves. We're talking about real people's lives," Hunt said.

"You look at a house fire, it will double in size every 30 to 60 seconds, so if we add on more minutes for us being delayed to get to a call, that fire is even bigger. We do a lot of cardiac arrests, we go and help [Hato Hone] St John's at CPRs, all those minutes count."

While gear on the outside of trucks is strapped up, hitting a bump at excess speed still makes Hunt fret.

"You just hope nothing comes loose but it definitely has an impact on the vehicles. But that's why, you know, we just go super slow."

Council estimated in early September that removing each platform would cost between $8000 and $10,000.

The lowest estimate is now $20,000, with the Victoria Street hump removal reaching $50,000.

Cars around Cambridge are also paying the price. Little Thinkers daycare owner Alicia Oliver said parents have had to replace their shocks because of the number of bumps between the daycare and their Leamington homes.

"We welcome the change... one of my staff was so excited when they saw the post last night that they sent it to me. They were excited that something was going to be done about it," Oliver said.

"They've already made them smaller because I think when they first did it they messed up the angles. The roading company had to redo a few things on our observation because we stood in our playground and watched it all."

Hato Hone St John's South Waikato acting area operations manager, Fern Taylor-Stachurski, said the bumps require ambulances to slow down and may "interrupt the flow of traffic or make for a less smooth driving experience for patients".

"Our ambulance crews and communications teams take these factors into account, planning in advance and identifying alternative routes whenever possible and appropriate," Taylor-Stachurski added.

One intersection not on council's fix-it list is the corner of Shakespeare and Cook Streets, with Hunt calling it "real dangerous".

"They've put speed humps in, but people stop for them because they think they're pedestrian crossings."

"I told the council 'you've got to identify them because people think they can cross' so I see they need to address that one somehow too.

Some are in favour of the bumps however, with local resident Moana Leau saying "they're there for a purpose".

"It doesn't worry me because it's there for a purpose to keep our kids safe, our families safe. It's about health and safety", the Tīrau Fonterra worker of over 40 years said.

Council staff will report back with costs and timing for the other six speed bumps, and how the work fits alongside the existing transport programme.