For some time this web site has been involved in the fight to have the Fish Hoek side of Kommetjie Road made safer. A series of fatal accidents on the road led to an upsurge in community activism. Eventually the road was upgraded, with new safety measures implemented at several accident hotspots.

Whilst this was a huge success for the community (and at Cape Point Chronicle we are proud of the small part played) it only sorted out one of many problems on our local roads. Its a basic problem of people driving like idiots. Nowhere has this been more apparent than on a small road that runs parallel to Kommetjie Road – Nelson Road.

Nelson Road is supposed to be a quite residential street- it is split into two parts by Riverside Road and it is the section that runs alongside the hospital that is the problem. The problem with Nelson Road is that it is a convenient ‘short cut’ to avoid using the 17th Avenue junction with Kommetjie Road and far too many people using the link treat it like a freeway. My house overlooks a section of the road, and I regularly walk alongside it. I have seen cars going so fast that they nearly take off- the road has blind corners, hidden driveways, reverse cambers, pot holes and cars parking at the side of the road. As if this wasn’t bad enough, there is a pre-school/creche (KIDS Educare) smack in the middle of all this.

Sam Hodgson, owner of KIDS Educare, wasn’t going to wait for a child to be hit by a reckless driver before taking action so I will let her take up the story:

“That road is hectic, the amount of cars and the speed at which they travel that road is incredible. I told the traffic department that if they needed Xmas money, they must trap on that road as they would make a fortune. Anyway, I started writing letters to various traffic departments a few years ago, to no avail. Then I received an email from Sandy Barnes (her grandson used to come to the crèche before he started school) and she resides about 5/6 house from the crèche on Nelson road. She had eventually found a contact and then he contacted me about 18 months ago. After a few emails going back and forth, I was eventually told that the speed bumps will be placed on Nelson road. Boy did we celebrate BUT, it took a few more emails from us over the next year to try and find out when. I was told that there was no budget and it will be done when they can. That was very frustrating to hear!! So guess my surprise when I arrived at my crèche one sunny morning to see them hard at work building the speed bumps. I did not realize that they would be put on either side of the crèche, I thought that they would be spread much further apart. I felt like I was “hogging” the speed bumps but at the end of the day, we do have the responsibility of little people. Cars still speed up to the speed bumps and then put their foot down once over them but I am very happy to say that the bit in between the speed bumps is where we are and it has made a HUGE difference to the safety of our parents and children:)) At first, we used to get some really dirty looks from people as they went past, which use to amuse me to no end, but now, everyone is used to them. A big thank you to all who was involved.”

So a big well done Sam at the KIDS Educare for making Nelson Road a bit safer.

I have to admit to not having an intimate knowledge of the creche, but I pass by it a lot and it looks well run and on the ball. You can contact Sam on 021 785 4713 or view their Facebook page

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