Large speed bumps recommended for dangerous Christchurch roundabout

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From reporter Steven Walton:

Controversial enlarged speed bumps are being recommended for a Christchurch roundabout to stop cars crashing with cyclists.

Christchurch City Council staff are recommending a raft of safety tweaks for the roundabout at the bottom of the Port Hills, which connects Dyers Pass Rd, Colombo St, Cashmere Rd and Centaurus Rd.

The Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote community board will decide at a meeting next week whether to go ahead with the staff recommendations.

During public consultation, the majority of people who lived near the roundabout did not support the changes or did not indicate their preference. Some feared it could worsen congestion.

One aspect of the tweaks was adding raised safety platforms at each roundabout entrance.

Similar platforms were previously added at a Lincoln Rd intersection and have faced criticism from some city councillors and mayor Phil Mauger.

Councillor Aaron Keown previously claimed the council does not have a mandate to install the platforms.

Another raised platform on Opawa Rd had not drawn any criticism.

In the case of this roundabout, council staff say a raised platform would reduce entry speed and therefore improve safety.

Staff said if people were hit by a car travelling at 50kph their chances of survival are 20%, but their survival chances would shoot up to 90% if the car’s speed was only 30kph.

Between 2012 and 2021, 27 crashes had occurred at the roundabout, with 10 of them resulting in serious injuries.

In all the instances of serious injuries, the crashes involved a cyclist, motorbike or scooter.

Council staff said about 2200 cars and 65 cyclists used the roundabout during the morning rush. About 2400 cars and 90 cyclists used it at peak time in the evening.

Other tweaks proposed by council staff were narrower entry lanes to the roundabout, wider pedestrian islands, and improved pedestrian crossing locations.

Council staff received a mixed reception when they consulted the public about the work.

Out of a total of 426 submissions, 197 did not indicate whether they supported the changes, 86 were in favour, and 143 were against.

About 150 submitters suggested that solving safety issues at the intersection would require traffic lights.

Council staff say this would not help safety and could cost $2.5 million, whereas the recommended tweaks would only cost $450,000.

The tweaks would be paid by the Government, thanks to a $40m cash injection for roading projects that was first promised in 2017.

Council staff noted that “the majority of submitters who live within the vicinity of the roundabout ... either did not support the changes or did not give a clear indication”.

The area’s community board will meet at 4pm on Thursday, April 13 to decide whether to go ahead with the proposed tweaks.