Rutherford St drivers monitored

Signs in Rutherford St, Caversham, are clearly visible. Photo: Gregor Richardson
Signs in Rutherford St, Caversham, are clearly visible. Photo: Gregor Richardson

The Dunedin City Council is to investigate driver behaviour in Rutherford St, Caversham, following complaints about vehicles travelling the wrong way down the one-way street.

The street is seen by many drivers as a shortcut that avoids the traffic lights on South Rd. Other drivers exiting the car park at Mitchell's Tavern and the Caversham Medical Centre are also said to be culprits.

A resident, who declined to be named, said the practice had already caused a violent altercation between two motorists and he was concerned people were taking the law into their own hands.

He said he saw a young man travelling the wrong way down the street about six weeks ago. He was stopped by another driver going the other way.

He said one resident had been talking about building some home-made road spikes and tying them between two power poles.

DCC transport strategy manager Nick Sargent said there was appropriate signage at Rutherford St that clearly showed it was a one-way street.

He said council records showed there had been two complaints about traffic travelling the wrong way down Rutherford St during the past two years, and both were referred to the police as an enforcement matter.

``Given this further complaint, we will carry out temporary monitoring at the Rutherford St/South Rd intersection to examine driver behaviour to see how significant the problem is,'' he said.

A police spokeswoman said road safety was the responsibility of all road users and advised witnesses of dangerous driving to report it immediately on *555.

john.lewis@odt.co.nz

 

Comments

The reason that South Road has the traffic lights is because it makes turning into South Road faster than using a stop sign which at times of high traffic volume could become a longer waiting time for turning into and out of South Road. Impatient drivers have no doubt been brought up with no appreciation that enduring life's little sufferings can bring much advantages later in life. An "I want it NOW" attitude does no favours.

 

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