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Herald Correspondent
The removal of speed humps from the Seke Road close to the Chinhamo area yesterday, that had been causing accidents and traffic congestion, came as a relief to motorists.
The Government intervened following numerous complaints from motorists and residents who described the installed speed humps as ‘horrendous’ and ‘awful’ measures, which posed a threat to people’s vehicles and lives.
Many were questioning the rationale behind erecting speed humps in the middle of a freeway.
The sets of speed humps were installed, in an apparent effort to calm traffic. However, it also generated enormous traffic congestion stretching for kilometres.
When The Herald visited the area yesterday, the Government had already assigned a team to remove the controversial speed humps, much to the excitement of motorists and residents.
Motorists said the speed humps were too high for safety and consuming much of their time in congestion.
“I am relieved they have gone, but maybe the road could be marked better with signs such as ‘slow down’ and ‘zebra crossing ahead’,” said Mr Garikai Mhembere, a concerned motorist.
This comes barely a week after a commuter omnibus was involved in an accident at the humps, which left many passengers injured.
A commuter omnibus driver Mr Nelson Chaminama said: “At one point I snapped the front spring of my seat and I had 15 passengers. I am delighted they managed to remove the humps.”
A motorist, Ms Nyarai Mutana, said she felt relieved that the speed humps were gone.
Motorists said they were not opposed to speed restriction measures, but they claimed it was unnecessary for them to take three hours to get into Harare city centre merely because of speed humps on a highway.
Since the traffic-calming measures were installed a few weeks ago, residents had been complaining about how brutal the humps were because of their position and size.
The situation was so bad that there was no sign to warn drivers of the speed humps.
“A driver could not get over the humps without losing control, some motorists were now using longer routes to avoid the speed humps,” said another motorist. “However, I am glad that they are now getting rid of these speed humps.”
It is possible to design speed humps that do not wreck suspensions, but slow traffic, such as the rumble humps seen near level crossings and the wide humps, such as the one near Harare’s Town House.
It is also possible to design humps that are easy to negotiate at a set maximum speed.
But the high narrow humps that emerged on the Seke Road needed to be negotiated at a very slow crawl, and often at an angle, and even then smaller vehicles might be blocked altogether.
“The humps were dreadful, they were too high and did lots of damage to lots of people’s cars within a week,” another motorist who requested anonymity said.
Online Reporter